Arsenic-affected Habitations Increased

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.