ARSENIC CONTAMINATION OF GROUNDWATER CAUSING MILLIONS DEATHS IN THE GANGETIC REGION OF INDIA

In the month of January 2022, documentary filmmaker and researcher Meera is invited by Saurabh Singh to visit the village Karkatpur, one of the worst arsenic affected habitat at Uttar Pradesh state in India. Saurabh Singh has been working with arsenic affected communities for the last 17 years in the villages of the Gangetic belt in India, where 500 million people are at potential risk of arsenicosis including the cancer of stomach, gallbladder, kidney, heart failure and poly neuropathy. Inner voice foundation, his organization has been doing water testing, research, mitigation of contamination water and rehabilitation of arsenic patients in the villages. Coming from the hustle bustle of city, Meera, the film maker was mesmerized by the serenity and peace of village life, however as the day passed along, she came across the grave and shocking reality of villagers living with arsenicosis and other serious health disease due to arsenic contamination of ground water. This small documentary is a part for a feature length investigative film on arsenic poisoning In India. The film highlights the plight of villagers, challenges faced by them due to drinking contaminated water, inability of local administration in identifying and solving the problem. It unfolds the social stigma, psychological and emotional alienation experienced by them. Morbidity is increased manifolds by the fact that local doctors doing private practice in the area having no knowledge about the linkages of rising cancer patients in villages and contamination of drinking water sources.

In more than 200 districts of India comprising 500’000 square km area in the Gangetic belt is affected by the arsenic poisoning. Land holdings are very small and these are most densely populated human habitats in the India. Arsenic poisoning is very severe in 50000 villages of this region. 500 million people are at risk and over 5 millions have died due to various healths related including arsenicosis in last 25 years. There is lack of political will to solve the problem though the government has started paying attention to problem recently owing to the pressure mounted by academia- scientific and community groups.

Key words: Groundwater contamination, Arsenic, Public Health, Arsenic in Gangetic belt, Arsenic toxicity, Arsenic in Gangetic belt