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Arsenic detected in southern waters |
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News |
June 29, 2000
Jhalakati (UNB) – Excessive quantum of arsenic has been detected in the waters of many shallow tube-wells in the rural areas of the district.
Sources said there are about 6,000 shallow tube-wells across the district most of which are feared to be arsenic contaminated.
About three lakh people are using these tube-wells. Public Health Engineering Department is yet to fully start the survey on arsenic contamination in water.
Jhalakati Development Society (JDS), an NGO, under the emergency screening programme conducted a test on water of over 100 both shallow and deep tube-wells at downtown, Gagon, Sanjoypur and Uttam Nagar villages of Sadar upazila recently.
The survey found the presence of arsenic beyond the permissible limit in many tube-wells water. They also sealed a number of shallow and deep tube-wells, said Muhammad Shah Alam Khalifa, director of the NGO.
Officials of Public Health Engineering Department were present during the conducting of test. The survey report of JDS has already been sent to ICDDR, B Dhaka.
During the survey they also found Wazed Ali Sikder, Monir Hossain, Jalal Sikder, his wife Liza Begum, Motiar Rahman and Nupur of Gagon village and Josna Begum of Uttam Nagar affected by arsenic related diseases.
Of the victims, condition of Jalal was stated to be critical. His palms were affected badly.
The NGO identified the contaminated tube-wells with red marks and advised the local people not to use its water. Poor and ignorant villagers, however, continue to use the contaminated water defying the advice.
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