Contaminants such as arsenic, lead and cadmium were present in groundwater sources tested in 42 out of 70 districts, State Urban Development Minister Mohammed Azam Khan said, describing the findings as "frightening."

"Once contaminated, it is very difficult to purify the water," the report added.

The minister said the state would ask the World Bank for help in providing clean water.

Doctors said there had been an upsurge in cancer among Uttar Pradesh's 180 million people in recent years, which could be linked to the polluted water.

"If people are drinking water containing lead and arsenic it's bound to cause cancer sooner or later," said Sandeep Agarwal, a cancer specialist at the government-run King George's Medical College hospital.

"Cancer has become very common even in young people. Earlier only 600 to 700 cancer cases were detected (at the college) a year but now the number is over 2,000," he said, adding that contaminated water could be one of the key causes.

The majority of the sick were from rural areas, where untreated groundwater was the only source of drinking water, he said.

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