400 people suffering from arsenic in Ishwardi
Sunday, 9 September 2012
PABNA, Sept 8 (BSS): As many as 400 people in different villages in Paksey union under Ishwardi upazila are suffering from arsenic related diseases due to prolonged consumption of tube-well's water.
Many people of the area have been facing acute crises of safety water for long as most of the tube-wells are contaminated with arsenic.
Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) organized a field trip with the financial assistance of UNICEF under " Advocacy and Communication for Children and Women Development (4th phase) project.
According to World Health Organisation (WHO), 0.05 ppm (part per million) arsenic in water is safe for human consumption. But a large number of tube-well waters in Paksey contains 0.50 ppm arsenic, 10 times higher than the safe water. During the visit, local people said at least 200 people died of arsenicosis and various arsenic related diseases during the last 20 years.
Sufia Begum, 50, and his son Sujon,27, of Nalda village in Paksey union are bearing symptoms of arsenicosis. Sujon's uncle, ant, and cousins died few years ago suffering from arsenicosis. Sujon has been suffering from arsenic related disease Asthma for last 17 years. Local doctor Alamgir Parvez said he may die any time due to prolonged Asthma problem. He also said the symptom of the arsenecosis patients are abdominal pain, diarrhoea, vomiting, dehydration and vertigo.
Mohibul, 38, a local said that, "now people of this area are very conscious about arsenic as many people died due to arsenic poisoning.
In this area women are carrying 'Kalos' to collect safety water from the green marked tube-wells. Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) has tested waters of 350 tube-wells. Of them 49 tube-wells were found above danger level of arsenic.
So the people of the area demanding more tube-wells and supply water from the department. PHED said " It is not possible at present due to short allocation of tube-wells, electricity and local people are not interested to give their land for solving the crises of pure drinking water.
He also said the present government is relentlessly working for the people to solve the problems related to public health and safe drinking water.
Many people of the area have been facing acute crises of safety water for long as most of the tube-wells are contaminated with arsenic.
Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) organized a field trip with the financial assistance of UNICEF under " Advocacy and Communication for Children and Women Development (4th phase) project.
According to World Health Organisation (WHO), 0.05 ppm (part per million) arsenic in water is safe for human consumption. But a large number of tube-well waters in Paksey contains 0.50 ppm arsenic, 10 times higher than the safe water. During the visit, local people said at least 200 people died of arsenicosis and various arsenic related diseases during the last 20 years.
Sufia Begum, 50, and his son Sujon,27, of Nalda village in Paksey union are bearing symptoms of arsenicosis. Sujon's uncle, ant, and cousins died few years ago suffering from arsenicosis. Sujon has been suffering from arsenic related disease Asthma for last 17 years. Local doctor Alamgir Parvez said he may die any time due to prolonged Asthma problem. He also said the symptom of the arsenecosis patients are abdominal pain, diarrhoea, vomiting, dehydration and vertigo.
Mohibul, 38, a local said that, "now people of this area are very conscious about arsenic as many people died due to arsenic poisoning.
In this area women are carrying 'Kalos' to collect safety water from the green marked tube-wells. Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) has tested waters of 350 tube-wells. Of them 49 tube-wells were found above danger level of arsenic.
So the people of the area demanding more tube-wells and supply water from the department. PHED said " It is not possible at present due to short allocation of tube-wells, electricity and local people are not interested to give their land for solving the crises of pure drinking water.
He also said the present government is relentlessly working for the people to solve the problems related to public health and safe drinking water.