Palamau/Garhwa: Excess fluoride content in intake water drawn from the ground in villages like, Chukru, Bakhari, Ganke, Mukhiya Tola, and Satyari Tola. While, Pratappur village of Garhwa district is alarmed for the sleeping administrations and state government. Consuming fluoride-contaminated water leading to problems such as accelerated tooth decay, painful warping of bones and skeletal as well as dental fluorosis. These problems deserve immediate attention so that things could be controlled at some extent. When the excess fluoride was reported earlier, the government had taken steps to provide them [villagers] fluoride free water via water supply, or a fluoride removal filter fitted with tube well. But, mostly are disturbed now. Few of them are not repairable, and it requires an immediate attention from the administration so that the villagers could get drinking water.
Pic; Upgraded School Nawatikar Chukru school, all locals study and consuming fluoride contaminated water.
Many villagers tell us that water purifier sanitation has not been done for a long time, and we are bound to consume the water with high fluoride, which resulted into serious health issues for the villagers, even children are also becoming ill, suffering from serious tooth decay, bones and skeletal, and other related issues. Locals Jeet Singh, Arjun Singh and Krishna Murari Pal were having opinions that officials hardly visit the villages to repair the same. Two water tanks were set up for the whole areas, and water being supplied from the river itself which is not yet covered fully, and even the supply of water is not regular. Hence, they have face problems more often.
Pic; actual site, three hand pumps without fluoride removal filters
While speaking to, 'Prof. P.K. Verma, a renowned Geologist, ex-professor of GLA college', is of the view that fluoride generated more when water level goes down, also fluoride cannot be eradicated from its root, [water] totally; but can be lower its impression by adopting few methodologies such as; to conserve water which we received during the rainy season, water filter [aluminium coated] can be used etc. It is not only effect human, but the animal also and both living things can suffer from the equal amount of diseases. The excess fluoride in water can get into the diseases like, dental issues, brain fetel, pineal gland, thyroid function, arthritics, bone related, osteosarcoma etc.
Analysis: GP has access a report, which reveals the surprising facts about these villages' conditions.
Of the 238 drinking water sources in the five affected villages that were analyzed. The concentration was higher in all of them than the desirable limit of 1.0 mg F ion/L for safe drinking water. The highest level of concentration of 12 mg/L was detected in five water sources in Chukru and Andharbagh villages. However, the concentration did not show any appreciable variation between open wells and hand pumps. Moreover, unlike earlier studies by Teotia.
Drinking water sources assessed of concentration include the hand pump, dug well, and river water in the five selected villages. Water samples were analyzed for within 24 hr of collection in the field laboratories in the study area. An ion specific F electrode (Orion 290 A+) was used in the field laboratory with TISAB-II solution as well. The vegetables and foods was analyzed by extracting with sodium hydroxide solution following the procedure of Zhou et al.11 For conducting the health survey, the necessary questionnaire was developed to correlate with the drinking water source and its dietary practice, and socioeconomic conditions.
