The Daily Star, May 10, 2003

Quest for arsenic-free drinking water

Draft policy may be okayed Monday

Naimul Haq


The cabinet is likely to approve the draft of the much-awaited National
Policy for Arsenic Mitigation at its meeting on Monday.

The policy highlights emergency steps to provide alternative safe drinking
water options to arsenic-affected areas, rehabilitation of serious arsenic
patients and research on arsenic in food chain, sources in the Local
Government and Rural Development Ministry (LGRD) said.


It would set a guideline for mitigating the effect of arsenic on humans and
environment in a suitable way.


Under the policy, all tubewells and irrigation wells will be screened and
monitored regularly to identify which have been contaminated. Arsenic
patients and people at risk will also be identified to provide remedy.


"Priority would be given to surface water options over groundwater sources.
The options in order of priority include dug well, pond sand filter, rain
water harvesting, deep hand-tubewells, arsenic removal by using chemicals
and pipe water supply system," an official said.


The policy outlines emergency steps to ensure alternative water supply. It
said villages with more than 80 per cent of contaminated tubewells will come
under the emergency steps. Besides, pockets of high contamination having
high number of arsenic patients in villages with otherwise low level of
arsenic in water might also get emergency response.


Villages that have between 40 and 80 per cent of the wells contaminated
would get medium-term response. For long-term response, only proven and
sustainable tech nology options would be promoted.


For municipal or urban water supply, the policy placed stress on providing
treated surface water or bringing safe water from distant sources as an
option. But here, removal of arsenic sludge is a must, it said.


About treatment of arsenic patients, the draft policy provides for specific
case management and a database on national prevalence of arsenicosis or
arsenic contamination of humans. For serious arsenic patients, there will be
a provision for treatment at all public hospitals. Besides, seriously
affected patients will be rehabilitated, it said.


The policy also proposed establishment of a network of well-equipped
laboratories and steps to tap international expertise in areas where local
expertise is yet to develop.


All stakeholders will work within the framework of the policy, and
government agencies will administer the policy in a coordinated way, it
said.


The draft has been prepared by a team of experts under the supervision of
LGRD Minister Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan.