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Mitigation and Remedy of Groundwater Arsenic Menace in India

Mitigation and Remedy of Groundwater Arsenic Menace in India

Mitigation and Remedy of Groundwater Arsenic Menace in India

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Roadmap for Achiev<strong>in</strong>g Envisaged Targets(iii)R & Ds to roll-overThe techniques <strong>and</strong> technologies expected to be developed at the laboratory <strong>and</strong> fieldlevel R & Ds should f<strong>in</strong>ally roll over to the field. Most <strong>of</strong> the techniques <strong>and</strong> technologies fellshort to produce satisfactory results because <strong>of</strong> many unforeseen <strong>and</strong> undef<strong>in</strong>ed factors, suchas; implement<strong>in</strong>g agencies do not even know as to how go about, social unacceptability,complicated O & M, etc. One has to have, therefore, a clear idea as to how the task is to beimplemented <strong>and</strong> operated to get its targeted benefits. So, the R & D activity, <strong>in</strong> such case, couldbe to evolve methods as to how a socially acceptable public-private-people entrepreneurship forimplementation, operation <strong>and</strong> ma<strong>in</strong>tenance <strong>of</strong> the schemes can be translated to the field toderive susta<strong>in</strong>able benefits.8.1.2 Ensur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>Arsenic</strong> Free WaterIn order to provide arsenic free potable water to the populace <strong>in</strong> the arsenic affectedareas, the follow<strong>in</strong>g alternate measures as a stopgap arrangement can be <strong>in</strong>itiated: (i) <strong>in</strong> areaswhere population density is relatively more <strong>and</strong> the area is under the grip <strong>of</strong> arsenic effect <strong>and</strong>there are limited scope for alternate freshwater supply; arsenic removal devices, by choos<strong>in</strong>g thebest work<strong>in</strong>g model among the exist<strong>in</strong>g devices under the public-private partnership withcommunity participation <strong>in</strong> the O <strong>and</strong> M, would be a suitable proposition to adopt, (ii) <strong>in</strong> areaswhere freshwater aquifers can be tapped us<strong>in</strong>g h<strong>and</strong> pump with no risk <strong>of</strong> arseniccontam<strong>in</strong>ation; <strong>in</strong>stallation <strong>of</strong> new h<strong>and</strong> pumps can provide a reasonable solution, (iii) the areaswhere deeper aquifers can be tapped with no future risk <strong>of</strong> contam<strong>in</strong>ation from the overla<strong>in</strong>aquifer; supply <strong>of</strong> potable groundwater by exploration <strong>of</strong> deeper aquifers can provide a soundsolution, <strong>and</strong> (iv) the places where the surface water supply can be ensured as an alternatesource <strong>of</strong> groundwater; fitt<strong>in</strong>g piped surface water supply scheme (although expensive) can bea reasonable proposition to adopt.Dur<strong>in</strong>g the past few years, many small scale arsenic removal devices have been developed,field tested <strong>and</strong> used <strong>in</strong> West Bengal. Out <strong>of</strong> 10 such tested arsenic removal devices, fewhave proved satisfactory performances both <strong>in</strong> terms <strong>of</strong> arsenic removal efficiency, <strong>and</strong> O & M.The schemes <strong>in</strong> which regular O & M are entrusted with the local community are found to haveproduced successful results. <strong>Arsenic</strong> removal devices attached with H<strong>and</strong> Pumps <strong>and</strong> tube wellsdeveloped <strong>and</strong> marketed by M/s Pal Trockner Foundation Ltd, <strong>India</strong> <strong>in</strong> association with HarbauerGmbH, Germany; by Oxide <strong>India</strong> (Catalysts) Pvt. Ltd, Durgapur; <strong>and</strong> by Apyron Technologies(P) Ltd. represent<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> Apyron Technologies Inc., USA are those devices <strong>and</strong> schemes, whichhave shown satisfactory performances <strong>in</strong> the field. Comparison <strong>of</strong> photographs (Figs. 8.1 <strong>and</strong>8.2) taken dur<strong>in</strong>g November, 2008 represent<strong>in</strong>g two similar type <strong>of</strong> schemes marketed by M/sPal Trockner Pvt. Ltd. located <strong>in</strong> a kilometer distance apart, one with care <strong>of</strong> O & M, other onewithout care <strong>of</strong> O & M, clearly revealed that susta<strong>in</strong>ability <strong>of</strong> a scheme ma<strong>in</strong>ly depends on howdo one nurtures the scheme rather than the sophistication <strong>of</strong> the scheme.144NIH & CGWB

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