Arsenic contamination in groundwater of Indo-Gangetic plains and mitigation measures adopted in Bihar, India-lessons learnt

摘要

Arsenic (As) contamination in ground water above permissible limits in Ganga- Brahmaputra and Meghna delta is now widely recognized as a threat to public health in India and Bangladesh. A significant proportion of 500 million people, constituting 30% of people living in the delta region, live in danger of drinking As contaminated water. The population vulnerable to arsenic poisoning are the economically challenged, impoverished villagers with low literacy levels, with its susceptibility increasing among children and infants. With every new survey, new areas and population suffering from Arsenicosis are being reported. Despite number of corrective and precautionary measures, the spread of As contamination in groundwater continues to grow and is a matter of concern in the region. The measures taken have appeared to be partial and inadequate. UNICEF is using the lessons learned through different studies for furthering the achievement of a sustainable and holistic solution to this problem.