From the review of literature, it was observed that fluoride occurs in almost all waters from trace to high concentrations[5]. Its concentration in natural water depends on various factors such as temperature, PH, solubility of fluorine bearing materials, anion exchange capacity of aquifer materials and the nature of geological formations drained by water and contact time of water with a particular formation.  Among all minerals, fluoride is the mineral having both lower (0.6 mg/l) and upper (1.2 mg/l) limits of concentration in drinking water, with identified health effect and benefits for human beings[6,7].

Generally, fluoride content in water between 1.5 mg/l and 2.0 mg/l may lead to dental motting, which is characterized initially by opaque white patches on the teeth and in advanced stages leads to dental fluorosis followed by pitting of teeth surfaces. When fluoride content is exceeded between 4.8gm/l then, skeletal fluorosis[8] may occur in children upto the age of 12 years. High content of fluoride causes an increase in bone density leading to thickness of long bones and calcification of ligaments. The symptoms may include the mild rheumatic/arthritic pain in the hounts and muscles to severe pain in the cervical spine region along with stiffness and rigidity of the joints[9]. The severe condition of fluorosis depends on the concentration of fluoride in the drinking water, daily intake, continuity and duration of exposure and climatic conditions.

Ground water is considered as the major source of drinking water in most places on earth. Generally, people use groundwater for drinking and other domestic household work without any physical and chemical treatment. This practice is not a healthy one and it may lead to several health disorders to human being. But this problem can not be solved because there is lack of treated piped water supply system in several part of developing countries especially rural areas. The problem of high fluoride in groundwater has been reported by several researchers not only in India but all over the world. It was reported that when groundwater fluctuation was within 4.5 m below ground level, fluoride concentration was high when the water level was low and the fluoride concentration decreases with the rise in water table[10]. This was due to direct evaporation of groundwater from these wells. If the groundwater fluctuation was beyond 4.5m below ground level, the concentration of fluoride measured in groundwater after the monsoonal rains were higher than the preceding months. This was because evaporation resulted in the precipitation of fluoride rich slats on the soil which reached the groundwater along with percolation rainwater. Thus, the treatment of groundwater especially for fluoride before using it for drinking purposes is very essential in India[11].

The occurrence and development of endemic fluorosis have its roots in the high fluoride content in water, air and soil of which water is perhaps the major contributor[12]. In India, the fluorosis is observed at the concentration of more than 1.20mg/l and dental caries at the concentration of less than 0.60 mg/l in the drinking water[13]. Due to larger societal implication and major human concern, it is therefore crucial to understand the origin and distribution of fluoride in groundwater[14].fluoride contamination in groundwater in India is mostly concentrated at western and southern India. The Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP), covers a vast area of northern India and constitute eleven Indian states with habitation of approximately 43% of the Indian population[15]. Being the most populated river basin in the world, only a few work has been done from the IGP focusing on the fluoride contamination in groundwater[16]. A high concentration of fluoride is reported in the major districts of these states but no such regional studies have been carried out to understand the fluoride enrichment process.