The city like Bangalore seems to be reeling under severe water contamination,which is affecting the health of its residents.A private company revealed that about 90% of the diseases in Bangalore are caused by unhygienic and contaminated drinking water.The survey took about 589 household from different parts of Bangalore in to account.Ground water samples were collected and examined by the Eureka Forbes Institute of Environment.The tests revealed that the levels of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS),hardness,Chlorides,nitrates responsible for water contamination had exceeded permissible limits in certain parts of Bangalore,mainly K.R.Circle,kalasipalyam,Malleshwaram,Ulsoor,Herbbal,& Electronics City,as per Luna Dewan.
Toxic chemicals like arsenic,lead disease-causing Bacteria contributed to the alarming increase in the city's water contamination. About 80% of the households revealed that water contamination has become one the most pressing issues.Five out of every 10 respondents said they had someone in their family of friend circle falling victim to water-borne disease and infections in the last one year.Water borne disease like, (Cholera,Jaundice,Typhoid, Diarrhea as well as the common cold,cough and fever) have accounted for nearly 90% of all disease severely affecting people's health.
The study echoed a serious concern among 61% of the respondents who agreed that their drinking water is unfit for consumption.A large chunk of respondent -58% say they use water purifiers as their primary mode of drinking water purification,followed by 13% who boil the water and 19% who use packaged drinking water for daily consumption.
Surprisingly,even today,about 11% of Bangalore households drink water directly from taps.Sharing his concern over the findings,Dr Thuppil Venkatesh, Advisor to The Quality Council Of India (QCI),Director for National Referral Center for lead poisoning (NRCLP) in India said, "There has been growing concern over the increasing water contamination and its impact on the lives of Indians,which is evident from the water audit.
Some of the key issues like water contamination,hardness and a rise in incidences of water borne diseases are shocking and alarming.He said India is on the verge of becoming the "world capital of lead poisoning". When there is acute exposure to lead and the concentration levels are very high,it causes damage to the central nervous system,kidneys and also lead to reduction of IQ level especially in children is irreversible."
This statistics shown only one city.India has total 28 state & Union Territories, its an eye opener to the Government of India to look in to the grave situation of the other states also, to take adequate steps to resolve the issue in a priority basis.