Safe water options, awareness a must
Raising awareness on the effect of arsenic, speakers at a discussion yesterday stressed the need to find alternative sources for safe drinking water, which can also mitigate arsenic problem in the country.
The discussion titled “Khabar Panite Arsenic Dushon: Dui Joog Por Fire dekha” (Contamination in drinking water: Evaluating last 24 years) was organised by the Bangla daily Prothom Alo in an auditorium of the capital's CA Bhaban.
Dr Shyamal Chowdhury, an associate professor of School of Economics of The University of Sydney, said arsenic contaminated water caused cognitive problem and reduced the IQ level of children.
Also, people do not buy water filter because of high price, he mentioned, adding, subsidies from the government is required to lower its price.
According to Dr Shyamal, his university and IZA Institute of Labor Economics conducted a research on the country's 150 villages recently that shows 81 percent household use contaminated water above the tolerable limit of arsenic determined by the World Health Organization (WHO) and 55 percent use contaminated water above the limit determined by the government.
He claimed since 2003 the Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) did not conduct any census on the number of arsenic contaminated tube-wells.
“The use of organic elements as pesticide in agriculture can mitigate absorption of arsenic contaminated water in vegetables,” said Dr SM Imamul Huq, vice-chancellor of University of Barisal.
Sifat E Sayeed, associate professor, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, stressed on creating mass awareness among the rural people.
Dr Md Abdul Matin, general secretary, Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (Bapa), said in 2009, the High Court gave a verdict to save the rivers from pollution but the authorities concerned did not take any action. “As a result surface water is still polluted but it could be a good source of arsenic-free water,” he mentioned.
“Most of the rural people do not realise the deadly effect of arsenic,” said Chowdhury Mufad Ahmed, additional secretary to the education ministry. He also stressed on creating awareness among the rural community. Md Saifur Rahman, executive engineer of DPHE, said, “We have undertaken various projects, including finding alternative drinking water sources.”
Nasimun Ara Haque Minu, president of Bangladesh Nari Sangbadik Kendra, and Md Khairul Islam, country director of WaterAid Bangladesh, also spoke.
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