The Daily Star January 14, 2002 


      Use rain, surface water to avoid arsenicosis

      Experts at international confce in city suggest

      Staff Correspondent


      The 4th Dhaka Declaration adopted on the concluding day of a two-day 
      international conference on arsenic contamination of groundwater yesterday 
      recommended use of rain and surface water to avoid arsenic-related 
      diseases.
      It said there has been no significant achievement regarding supply of 
      arsenic-free water in affected areas in Bangladesh. 
      The declaration called for "extreme caution" in recommending any solution, 
      either as an alternative source of water or as an arsenic removal 
      technology unless adequate scientific evaluation is carried out by a 
      competent authority.
      All agencies should consider use of surface and rainwater before 
      suggesting groundwater withdrawal, except in unavoidable circumstances, it 
      said.
      President Bodruddoza Choudhury, while addressed the concluding session of 
      the conference as chief guest, also expressed serious concern at the 
      problem and called for further studies on arsenic contamination of the 
      food chain.
      "The social ill effects and socio-economic problems of arsenic must not be 
      overlooked. I am sure policy planners and implementers will take note of 
      this serious issue," he said.
      The Daily Star Editor Mahfuz Anam, Environment Secretary Sabiuddin Ahmed 
      and Local Government Secretary AYBI Siddiqui also addressed the concluding 
      session, held at the BIAM auditorium. 
      The conference on 'Arsenic Contamination of Ground Water: Causes, Effects 
      and Remedies' was jointly organised by Dhaka Community Hospital and School 
      of Environmental Studies, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, West Bengal. Three 
      other declarations were adopted at three international conferences held in 
      Dhaka earlier. 
      The Declaration said, before recommending extraction of groundwater from 
      deeper aquifers, safety of aquifers must be ensured. Geological parameters 
      should be studied to ensure that the aquifers are safe for use in future.
      Special studies should be done on arsenic contamination in the food chain 
      and its impact on food production, it said.
      "Considering the severity and magnitude of the enormous human tragedy, the 
      efforts so far made are still too slow," Prof Mahmudur Rahman, Coordinator 
      of Dhaka Community Hospital, read out from the declaration. 
      Mahfuz Anam expressed serious concern at the slow progress of arsenic 
      mitigation activities and suggested setting up of a 'special body' at the 
      Prime Minister's Office to look into the arsenic problem exclusively.
      "Lets us wake up and go into little more action," Anam told the gathering.
      The declaration also noted that there is no known treatment for arsenic 
      patients and urged experts to develop an acceptable treatment and 
      management system for thousands of patients in the country.
      It also called for "full participation" of local communities and local 
      government institutions in arsenic mitigation programmes.
      More than 100 participants, including epidemiologists, hydrologists, 
      geo-chemists, dermatologists, geologists, cancer specialists, biologists, 
      environmentalists and medical practitioners from home and abroad took part 
      in the conference.
      The participants in the four technical sessions yesterday included Debdut 
      Ghosh Thakur, Chief Reporter of Anandabazar Patrika of Kolkata, who 
      presented a paper on the role of watchdogs; Dr K C Saha from West Bengal, 
      who presented a paper on groundwater arsenic contamination and human 
      sufferings; David Christiani who presented a paper on skin cancer; Dr Alan 
      Smith, an eminent epidemiologist from California Unversity, USA and Dr D N 
      Guha Majumder from Kolkata.