Mitigation and Remedy of Groundwater Arsenic Menace in India

Mitigation and Remedy of Groundwater Arsenic Menace in India : A Vision Document(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)Skin itching to sun rays, Burning and watering of eyes, Weight loss, Loss of appetite,Weakness, Lethargy and easily fatigued limited the physical activities and workingcapacities.Chronic respiratory complaints were also common. Chronic cough with or withoutexpectoration was evident in more than 50%. As reported by the villagers, the uniquesound of "cough of arsenicosis" was reported from adjacent village homes at night tocreate an unusual atmosphere. The cough may be painful and sputum may contain bloodto be misdiagnosed as pulmonary tuberculosis. In late stages, shortness of breath mightpredominate.Gastrointestinal symptoms of anorexia, nausea, dyspepsia, altered taste, pain in abdomen, enlarged liver and spleen, and ascites (collection of fluid in abdomen) were alsoobserved in 50% patients.Moderate to severe anemia was evident in some cases.Conjunctival congestion, Leg edema was less common.2.3.3.1 West BengalTable 2.2 shows an overview of arsenic contamination status in West Bengal up to2008 (Chakraborti, 2008a). Out of 140150 samples analyzed for arsenic, 48.1% had foundarsenic above 10 µg/L and 23.8% above 50 µg/L. Importantly, 3.3% of the analyzed tube-wellshad arsenic concentrations above 300µg/L, the concentration predicting overt arsenical skinlesions. A total of 187 (0.13%) hand tube-wells were reported highly contaminated (> 1000 µg/L). The maximum arsenic concentration (3700 µg/L) was found in Ramnagar village of GPRamnagar II, Baruipur block, in South 24-Parganas district. This tubewell was a private one.Figure 2.5 depicts groundwater arsenic contamination status of all 9 districts of West Bengal.Table 2.3 represents the survey report by SOES for all the 19 districts (including Kolkata)in West Bengal. Based on the arsenic concentrations found in the 19 districts of West Bengal theseverities have been classified into three categories: Severely affected (>300 µg/L), mildlyaffected (between 10 and 50 µg/L, and unaffected (< 10 µg/L). Nine districts (Malda, Murshidabad,Nadia, North 24-Parganas, South 24-Parganas, Bardhaman, Howrah, Hooghly and Kolkata),where more than 300 µg/L arsenic concentrations was found in tube-wells are categorized asseverely affected. Out of 135,555 samples analyzed from these nine districts 67,306 (49.7%)had arsenic concentrations above 10µg/L and 33,470 (24.7%) above 50 µg/L.It can be noted from Figure 2.5 that all 9 severely affected districts (concentration > 50 µg/L)are in a linear track along the river Bhagirathi ( the stretches of the river Ganga passed throughKolkata). Most of the affected areas lie along the left hand side of the river along the direction ofgroundwater flow. The groundwater flow direction in those areas is towards south-eastdirection, and the affected areas also swell mostly along the same direction. The geologicalNIH & CGWB 19