Arsenic slowly engulfing mass
– BY Dipanjana Dey
Arsenic is the biggest problem in West Bengal. Thousands of people are suffering from Arsenic born disease. Arsenic being slowly poisoned human being. The most affected areas of Bengal is Gaighata, Deyganga, Basirhat even the city of Kolkata.
Arsenic is industrial discharge, semi conductor which soluble to water. A recent research revealed that Arsenic cause cancer of the lung, kidney, liver, skin and bladder. Those who are affected by arsenic early childhood may develop diseases such as acute myocardial infarction, childhood liver cancer and bronchiectasis, a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Dr Dipankar Chakraborti , the Director of School of Environmental Studies, Jadavpur University, Calcutta, did extensive research and brought the issue to the attention of the world. After his research the British Medical Journal marked it as ‘Biggest Arsenic Calamity in the World”. More than 220,000 inhabitants of India’s West Bengal state have symptoms of arsenic poisoning.
Several, Non Government Organisations are working on Arsenic eradication program. In their extensive research they are introducing some kinds of filter and aquifer but those are not ultimate solution for Arsenic prevention. Thus the people can purify the water in cheapest way. Government organisation and NGO’s time to time examine the waters of the pumps, taps. They colour red those taps which pump arsenic water and colour green taps signifies non arsenic water.
Sujit Mistry who lived in Tagaria village 15 kilometers away from Bangladesh border is the victim of drinking Arsenic contaminated water. The 25 years old young chap raised sleeves of his shirt and showed the black patches in his hand. He said that from my childhood I saw 50 people died due to arsenic born disease. His father and brother has kidney problem. He said every month he and his family spend thousands of money to combat the disease.
Expert says the situation is not very optimum to eradicate the problem the central government should think about to utilize the surface water and purify it for safe drinking water. Ground water is not at all safe to drink. Arsenic can reach in all.
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