The Daily Star  February 19, 2004  


                        171 arsenic patients in Manikganj
                        Our Correspondent, Manikganj

                        One hundred and seventy one persons have affected with 
                        arsenic-related diseases in Harirampur upazila.
                        Over 1.5 lakh people are drinking contaminated water as 
                        63 per cent tube-wells are arsenic affected.
                        This was revealed in a survey conducted by NGO Forum
                        under the supervision of the Department of Public Health 
                        Engineering (DPHE).
                        There are approximately 13,198 tubewells in the upazila 
                        with a population of two lakh.
                        About 8,298 tube-wells have been marked red as water of 
                        the tube-wells are not suitable for consumption. Despite 
                        this, people are found to drink water of the tube-wells 
                        as there is no alternative source of pure drinking 
                        water. People also drink river and pond water. As a 
                        result most frequently people get affected with 
                        diarrhoea and other water-borne diseases. 
                        Manikganj DPHE Executive Engineer Samsul Haque Pramanik 
                        told this correspondent the government has set up 19 
                        ring wells in the upazila last year.
                        DPHE Sub-Assistant Engineer Abdul Mannan said 500 more 
                        ring wells are necessary in the arsenic- affected 
                        upazila.