Balasore: Amid rising temperature and deepening water crisis, residents of Balipal (Palasahi) under Remuna block in this district are forced to drink fluoride-contaminated water from a tube-well while the administration has done little to alleviate their sufferings, a report said.
Drinking water is a major problem for the village, situated 15 km away from the district headquarters town. A lone tube-well has been set up for the 30-odd families inhabiting the village.
“The water we get from the tube-well is unfit for consumption as it is rich in fluoride content. As we have no alternative, we are forced to drink the water. People have been suffering some health problems due to consumption of this water. Teeth turn yellowish while red blister-like spots appear on bodies,” lamented some villagers.
This summer, the water crisis has turned worse than before. From the early morning, people start gathering around the tube-well with pots, pitchers and buckets. A kind of competition breaks out to among the womenfolk to get a bucketful of water.
Years ago, the teeth of some children turned yellow while some people developed blister-like spots on their bodies, the villagers said, adding, on consulting a doctor, it was learnt that the problem was due to high fluoride content in the water.
The villagers had drawn the attention of MP Rabindra Kumar Jena towards the problem. The MP took serious note of the problem and arranged a visit of an expert team to the village to examine the water.
“The team had taken water samples, but no report has been made available in this regard till date. No step is being taken to sort out the water problem. Chemical-laced effluents from Emami paper plant are being discharged into streams and river. This is affecting the groundwater,” alleged some villagers.
Sunamani Das, a woman of the village says, “The village has been facing the water problem for the last 20 years. Cooking with this water takes time.”
Sakuntala Maharana, another woman, said, “Teeth of kids are turning yellow. Though we have been reminding people’s representatives time and again, none is acting in this direction.”
Damodar Mandal, another villager, said water from the tube-well creates health hazards. “We had taken up the issue with the district administration, but no effort was made to address our concern,” he added. PNN
