Independent Feb 27, 2000 Arsenic menace takes serious turn in Jessore from Our Correspondent JESSORE, Feb 26: Arsenic contamination has taken a serious turn in Keshabpur thana of the district. It is gathered that at least 12 people of different areas under the thana have been infected with arsenic poison.Waters of 2,294 shallow tubewells and 12 tara pumps out of the total 2,349 including 43 deep tubewells have been contaminated with arsenic, it is learnt from a reliable source. According to various sources, 98.12 per cent tubewells under the water-logged Keshabpur thana are supplying arsenic contaminated water. After drinking the poisoned water at least 12 people have so far been attacked with arsenic related diseases. Of them the condition of four persons named Nazrul Islam, Abdul Jabbar, Rakib Ahmed and Golam Mostafa of Bakaborshi village is reported to have been serious. Soon after circulation of the news panic gripped the whole population of the thana. After the long water-logging problem acute scarcity of pure and arsenic-free drinking water has become the second ordeal for the people of Keshabpur thana. Hundreds of people from different areas are flocking to the sub-divisional office compound of the Water Development Board at Keshabpur thana headquarters with vessels to collect arsenic-free drinking water from the deep tubewell there. They have to stand in queue for hours together to have a jar of water. The supply of water from the said deep tubewell stops at 11 am. Those who fail to collect water from within the fixed time have to buy water at Tk 5 per jar. But the people of limited means are alleged to have been compelled to drink the arsenic contaminated water.Meanwhile, there are widespread allegations that although the government had allocated 117 deep tubewells for the people of the waterlogged and arsenic contaminated Keshabpur thana in two sanctions no deep tubewells have still been sunk. Some vested quarters are alleged to have been realising contribution from the already distressed people to raise funds equivalent to the amount of deposit money for each deep tubewell. Only three deep tube wells have so far been sunk on experimental basis. ### The Daily Star Feb 23 , 2000 Arsenic poisoning Gangrene slowly eating away Mannan Gangrene is slowly eating away at Abdul Mannan, one of arsenic poisoning's latest victims. "We used to drink the water from a tube well for about fifteen years," said Mannan, who operates a tea stall to support his two brothers and two sisters. "But I haven't drunk water from it for the last six months. I was drinking water from a nearby pond after boiling and filtering it. "However, when my left foot swelled and turned black in December, one of the doctors told me I had developed problems from drinking contaminated tube well water." A team of doctors from Dhaka Community Hospital found Mannan 27, during an arsenic screening at Ramganj police station in Noakhali district this month. Mannan arrived at the hospital on Friday. Doctors said they feared that Mannan, the father of a two-year-old daughter, could loose all the toes on his left foot, despite his precautions. Prof. Quazi Quamaruzzaman, chairman of Dhaka Community Hospital, said anyone who drinks arsenic contaminated water for about nine months could develop gangrene or cancer even after switching to arsenic free water. ### ~~~ =========================== The Daily Star Feb 20 , 2000 Arsenic panic grips Jhenidah JHENIDAH, Feb 19: Severe arsenic panic grips the district as the contamination has been detected recently in waters of 159 tubewells. According to local Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) sources, out of 51.733 tubewells in the district 802 were tested and arsenic beyond permissible level in waters of 159 tubewells was found. Waters of the 159 tubewells are quite harmful for human consumption. According to thana-wise break-up, arsenic contamination was detected in the waters of four tubewells out of tested 154 tubewells in Sadar thana. 18 out of 185 in Shailakupa, nine tubewells out of 42 in harinakundu thana, 13 out of 246 in Kaliganj, one out of 42 tubewells in Kotchandpur and 114 out of 133 tubewells in Moheshpur thana. When contacted Basanta Kumar, executive engineer of Jhenidah DPHE, said they are motiyating people to test tubewell waters from DPHE. According to the engineer, Kaliganj, Shailakupa and Harinakundu thana are most affected areas. Kumar said DPHE officials are advising people not use waters of affected tubewells. They are also motivating people to use surface water. ### Independent Feb 19, 2000 Work on detection of arsenic in tubewell water begins from Our Correspondent COMILLA, Feb 18: Work on identification of tubewells to detect arsenic has started in ten thanas of the district.Public Health and Engineering Department (PHED) engaged experts to carry on the work. The experts have carried on the work of examining the water of 3,026 tubewells out of 14,943 in ten thanas of the district. The water of 2073 tubewells has been found contaminated on account of having excess arsenic. The water of the rest of the 954 tubewells has been found free from arsenic.The thanawise result of examination of tubewell water is that in Barura thana the water of 254 tubewells out of 3354 has been examined. The water of 172 tubewells has been found contaminated with arsenic.In Nangalkote thana, there are 2420 tubewells. The water of 210 tubewells has been examined and that of 209 tubewells has been found arsenic contaminated. In Laksham thana, examination has been conducted on 156 tubewells out of 4992 and the water of 142 tubewells has been detected as contaminated with arsenic.The water of 210 tubewells has been found arsenic contaminated after examination was done on 240 tubewells out of 3259 in Debidwar thana. Out of 4502 tubewells in Muradnagar thana, the water of 437 tubewells has been examined. The water of 366 tubewells has been found contaminated with arsenic. In Chandina thana, the water of 260 tubewells out of 2499 has been examined. The water of 208 tubewells has been detected with arsenic. In Daudkhandi thana, there are 4964 tubewells, out of which the water of 402 tubewells has been examined. The water of 400 tubewells has been found contaminated with arsenic. In Homna thana the water of 359 tubewells has been found contaminated with arsenic after examination of water of 432 tubewells out of 2619 was done. In sadar thana, examination of the water of 175 tubewells out of 4107 has been done and no arsenic has been found. In Burichang thana, there are 3422 tubewells, out of which 320 tubewells were brought under identification work. The water of the tubewells has been found free from arsenic contamination. In Brahmanpara thana, the water of 140 tubewells out of 1970 has been examined and found free from arsenic contamination. The experts of the department in order to save the people from the danger of arsenic related diseases have marked 2072 tubewells as containing arsenic dangerous for human body. According to PHED, the water of tubewells in Nangalkote, Laksham and Daudkhandi thanas has already been detected with arsenic.### ================================================== Independent ) Feb 21, 2000, Edition Arsenic contamination: Tubewell water being examined in Barisal from Our Correspondent BARISAL, Feb 20: Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE), district Health Department and NGO Forum, an NGO, have launched separate programme for examining the water of deep and shallow tubewells in the arsenic affected villages of Barisal district recently. Health Department and NGO Forum also examined health of villagers and found 129 more arsenic affected persons. A team of Health Department submitted a survey report on Charkaua union in Barisal sadar thana on January 26 to Civil Surgeon of Barisal. The survey was conducted by health workers of the department.According to the survey report, a total of 94 new arsenic patients were found in Charkaua union in sadar thana. Of the total, eight were found at Dinar village, 16 at Dakhin Char Aecha village, 69 at Karnakathi village and one at Charkolmi village. All the 13 members of the families of Abdul Mannan and Abdul Mazed Bhuiyan of Karnakathi village were found suffering from arsenic contamination. The survey report revealed that of the total patients 42 were women and children. Of them 16 patients were under 16 years.Deputy Civil Surgeon Dr. Narendranath Deuri admitted the report and said they have already found more arsenic patients in another part of the district. The department immediately disclosed the report to the authority concerned. ###