NSSB

State of our ‘WATER RESOURCE’: an Alarming Example

by · July 1, 2004

The two villages under Chapai Nawabganj district (June 25-26, 2004) have been worked out by a team in collaboration to a local NGO, which has revealed some alarming information. 58 households were included and other similar households were not included for time and manpower shortage. The findings of the study is as follows –

  • People drink water from the arsenic contaminated tube wells in villages Maharajpur and Chhatrajitpur.
  • These households includes 458 members, 70% are children and women, who drink and cook from the contaminated tube wells.
  • Badly affected arsenicosis patients are common in the locality, of whom 14 were identified and many others were informed.
  • The average annual income of that locality ranges from BDT=20,000/- to =1,00,000/-( equivalent to US$ 350 to 1700)
  • NGOs and local Govt. identified the tube wells as contaminated several years ago but are still without any safe drinking water as those have not been replaced.

The survey was conducted by Professor Iqbal Zuberi, Rajshahi Univ. with his students in collaboration with Dr. Alauddin, Wagner College, NewYork; Dr. Munir, Sono filter, Kustia; Mr. Paul, Chicago Medical School, USA and a Local NGO, BAIC. The team bought 40 Sono filters for arsenic removal and distributed them on subsidized and soft loan basis to the affected families. They also planed to provide them with Selenium supplement and Vitamins to flush out their ingested arsenic from their body.