Arsenic detected in tube-well water in C’nawabganj
Over 50 infected with arsenicosis in Betbaria
Over 50 people have been detected with arsenicosis in the last two months in Betbaria village of Chapainawabganj Sadar upazila.
They used to consume water with high concentration of arsenic from tube-wells, said officials of Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) after a survey.
Forty-three-year-old Alef Nur, a resident of the village, saw multiple warts on her body around five years ago.
"I passed around five years with these on my body. But I didn't face much trouble. Around two months ago, I started feeling sick. I couldn't walk properly. I couldn't go out of home for work," she said.
"I went to Chapainawabganj Sadar Hospital. After diagnosis, doctors told me that I'm suffering from arsenicosis. Six of our family members have also been detected with arsenicosis. We are now under treatment," she added.
When we heard that a large number of people have been detected with arsenicosis, we tested water of all the 28 tube-wells in Betbaria village. We found high concentration of arsenic in all of those.
Another resident Roni Ahmed (24), a mason by profession, along with eight of his family members has also been diagnosed with arsenicosis.
Amit Kumar Sarkar, executive engineer of DPHE in Chapainawabganj, said, "When we heard that a large number of people have been detected with arsenicosis, we tested water of all the 28 tube-wells in Betbaria village. We found high concentration of arsenic in all of those."
"We have put red marks on these tube-wells so that people don't consume water from there. We have installed two deep tube-wells so that people can get safe drinking water," he added.
According to the WHO, arsenic is a natural component of the earth's crust and is widely distributed throughout the environment in the air, water and land. It is highly toxic in its inorganic form.
People are exposed to elevated levels of inorganic arsenic through drinking contaminated water, and using contaminated water for preparing food, irrigating food crops, industrial processes.
Long-term exposure to inorganic arsenic, mainly through drinking-water and food, can lead to chronic arsenic poisoning. Skin lesions and skin cancer are the most characteristic signs.
The greatest threat to public health from arsenic originates from contaminated groundwater.