Arsenic-affected Habitations Increased
- Posted By
10Pointer
- Categories
Science & Technology
- Published
10th Oct, 2020
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- According to data shared in the Parliament, the number of arsenic-affected habitations in India has increased by 145% in the last five years (2015-20).
- Currently India has 4,421 habitations as of September 2020.
- Most of the arsenic-affected habitations lie in the Ganga and Brahmaputra alluvial plains – Assam, Bihar, West Bengal, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh (UP).
- Assam had the highest share of such habitations (1,853), followed by West Bengal (1,383).
- However, the number of fluoride affected habitations has significantly come down.
- Arsenic Poisoning
- It is naturally present at high levels in the earth’s crust and groundwater in a number of countries.
- It is highly toxic in its inorganic form.
- Contaminated water used for drinking, food preparation and irrigation of food crops poses the greatest threat to public health from arsenic.
- Long-term exposure to arsenic can cause cancer, skin disease, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
- In early childhood exposure, it may cause reduced cognitive development and increased deaths in young adults.
- The permissible limit of Arsenic in groundwater is 0.01 mg per litre according to the WHO’s guidelines for drinking water quality (2011),
- Fluoride Toxicity
- Excessive fluoride intake usually occurs through the consumption of groundwater naturally rich in fluoride, particularly in warm climates.
- Such exposure may lead to dental fluorosis (tooth decay) or crippling skeletal fluorosis.
