News |  Web Resources |  Yellow Pages |  Free Advertising |  Chat

Bangladesh |  Immigration |  E-cards |  Horoscope |  Matrimonial
Education  |  Music  |  Weather  |  Bulletin Board  |  Photo Gallery

Travel  |  Business World  |  Women's World  |  Entertainment

 Home > News > Health News > Full Story

Change Your Life!

Experts suggest drinking surface water to fight arsenic contamination

News
Sports
Chat
Travel
Dhaka Today
Yellow Pages
Higher Education
Ask a Doctor
Weather
Currency Rate
Horoscope
E-Cards
B2K Poll
Comment on the Site
B2K Club

 

February 14, 2001 

  

Dhaka--(Bangla2000)- Experts who deal with rising arsenic contamination have suggested drinking surface water while some others favored proper water management without prohibiting other sources of water.


Taking part in a roundtable discussion yesterday yet others called for involving community for finding out the solution of drinking water as the government, donors and experts are confused how to deal with arsenic problem facing the nation.


Dhaka Community Hospital (DCH), a pioneer to identify arsenic contamination in ground water and School of Environment Studies (SOES) of Kolkata Jadavpur University jointly organized the roundtable at DCH auditorium last (Monday) morning.


Experts from universities, research institutions, NGOs and donor agencies took part in the discussion on “The Contamination of Ground Water by Arsenic and Possible Arsenic Free Water Sources in Bangladesh.”


In his keynote paper Prof Dipanker Chakrabarty of SOES said Bangladesh has the highest per capita availability of surface water in the world. He thought people should drink properly managed surface water like dug well, pond and rain water as the underground waters in vast area of the country have contaminated with arsenic.


Prof Chakrabarty said some 15 to 20 percent of total land, particularly the high lands in Bangladesh, might be safe from arsenic contamination and continue remain free of arsenic in future also. But this situation can be changed if present trend of pulling ground water continue, he observed.


He strongly recommended in managing the arsenic problem through holistic way.


Dhaka Community Hospital raised some demands in the roundtable including the safe level of arsenic in drinking water should be 0.01 milligram per liter from presently 0.05 mg/l, Installation of Tube Well must be banned, all arsenic patients should be provided free treatment and should be given VGF card.


At least two million people in Bangladesh are affected with arsenic and 85 percent of the total population are at the risk of arsenic contamination, according to the DCH.


Supporting drinking surface water Prof Quazi Quamaruzzaman said dug well is free of bacteria saying many people in rural areas are still drinking dug well water without any complain of water borne diseases.


Expressing dissatisfaction at the misuse of huge foreign aid in the name of arsenic project he said money should be invested in dealing surface water instead of spending after various experiments and study of ground water.


Prof Quamaruzzaman, chairman of Dhaka Community Hospital, demanded that the government should coordinate in spending the money of donor agencies for judicious and transparent utilisation of the fund.


Asking for stopping indiscriminate sinking of tube wells Prof Mahmudur Rahman of DCH said installation of tube well did not stop waterborne diseases like Diarrhoea because causes are others including socio-economic condition and lack of awareness.


Arif Ahmed, a zeologist, said it should not say that this area is safe and other area unsafe without in-depth investigation and information.


Dr Rakib, another zeologist of Dhaka University, said “we can’t say all ground water is bad and all surface water is safe. We need proper management of water resources as well as proper monitoring and early warning system.”


“It can’t be said to ban all tube well water or switch over to surface water. We need holistic approach,” he added.


Dr MOK Wahedi, consultant pediatrics of Dhaka Community Hospital said, “We should move from tube well to patient. Enough has done for tube well but how much for arsenic affected patient.’


He said they should go to the community for the solution as people are not confused about arsenic. Rather confused are the experts, donors and government to deal with the arsenic menace, said Dr Wahedi with a mixture of sarcasm.



Copyright © Bangla2000. All Rights Reserved.
About Us |  Legal Notices |  Advertisement