GUWAHATI, July 29?Public Health Engineering (PHE) Minister Dinesh Prasad Gowala today told the State Assembly that fluoride contamination of ground water beyond permissible limit was detected in Karbi Anglong, Nagaon and Kamrup districts. Ground water in five blocks in each of Karbi Anglong and Nagaon districts and in three blocks of Kamrup district is found to be contaminated by such amounts of fluoride.
Very recently, he told the House, arsenic contamination of ground water was also detected in Karimganj and Dhemaji districts. In Karimganj district, 28 out of the 68 samples collected from the tubewells of Patharkandi, North Karimganj and South Karimganj blocks were found to be contaminated by arsenic of beyond permissible limit. In Dhemaji district, 12 out of the 30 samples collected from the tubewells of Sissibargaon block were found to be contaminated with such amounts of arsenic, said the Minister.
In view of the above, network of water testing laboratories is to be strengthened to carry out intensive water quality analysis throughout the State. Also, towards a long term measure, activities on alternative schemes or addition of fluoride/arsenic removal devices to the existing schemes etc need to be specially supported through Central assistance, he said. The Minister also apprised the House that the PHE Department, in order to mitigate fluoride problem, a joint plan of action with the assistance of UNICEF was drawn up. Till now 26,095 families in Karbi Anglong district and 65,324 families in Nagaon district have been visited for awareness generation and data collection.
Water samples from 6345 public tube wells and 7801 private tube wells are tested and fluoride contaminated tube wells are painted red with a caution to the families not to use the water of fluoride contaminated hand pumps for drinking and cooking purposes. Moreover, users are advised to collect drinking water from safe hand tube wells nearby.
Dental survey in 494 schools comprising 55098 students is carried out and 3373 students are found affected by the symptom of dental fluorosis. Appropriate awareness and training for teachers, doctors and engineers of the endemic areas are conducted on the basis of survey report.
Besides, construction of ring wells where feasible and as the situation demands is also going on and already 57 ring wells are installed. Fluoride removing domestic filters through Rural Sanitary Mart in the affected areas is also promoted for social marketing, said the Minister.
As a short term measure, the PHE Department has painted red all the unsafe sources of water for prevention of arsenic poisoning so as to caution the people not to use water from those sources, he said. Meanwhile, large number of water samples from the affected districts are also being sent to the UNICEF, Kolkata to share the results after analysis of the samples in Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer, he said.
The issue was raised several members, including BDLP?s Pramilarani Brahma and AGP?s Dilip Saikia, in the House during the discussion on the cut motion on the demand for grant-in-aid for the PHE Department. BJP?s Bimalangshu Roy, TGP?s Poremadhar Bora, NTC?s Alok Ghose and BDLP?s Karendra Basumatary took part in the discussion on the cut motion. The Speakers later put to guillotine all the other demands for grants-in-aid.