The Silent Killer
Battling the invisible menace
None could have imagined how a state of vibrant color and majestic forts, Rajasthan, harbors a dark secret: high fluoride levels in its drinking water.
Flouride is a nasty compound that could quickly switch from a preserver of bones and teeth to a toxicant. When provided in adequate amounts, Fluorides help in the formation of enamel and promote bone formation.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), fluoride should not exceed the limit of 1.5mg/l, or this could have severe health consequences, as seen in the Singh Family case.
The Singh Family Tragedy
In the alley of Devpura, in Rajasthan’s Sambhar block, about 80 km from the Sambhar salt lake, India’s largest inland salt lake, whispers roaming in hushed voices, ‘The village has been cursed, and everyone would be punished.’ Curse smoke rose from the rise of skeleton deformation among the villagers. As the matter caught fire, further investigation proved that the cases resulted from high fluoride consumption.
According to a report published by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), fluoride concentration in some places at Sambhar block went up to 16.4 mg/liter against the permissible 1mg/l. The village resides in an area affected by fluoride contamination; thus, the Singh family has become the symbol of the problem.
In the last decade, the Singh family faced numerous tragedies, including the death of three children because of conditions that were directly connected with fluorine toxicities.
The children were either born with skeletal abnormalities, and their immune systems were weakened and could not fight disease-causing agents and other infections. Having seen several medical practitioners in healthcare facilities, the fundamental problem, which was fluoride poisoning, took years to diagnose. The family complained that the water in their well was extremely saline and resulted in choric pain and disabilities in their children, even at the age of 5 months.
This is not unique in villages like Devpura; according to the local clinic’s report, over 60% of the village’s children show signs of dental fluorosis. As stated by Om Prakash Sharma, head of the NGO Gram Chetna Kendra, who works in the area, disability in the villages averages about 10 in 1,000. The national number is 5 in 1,000 people.
Battling the Silent Menace
The government of Rajasthan is trying to control the fluoride problem in drinking water by taking measures to improve human health. The growth of defluorination plants at the community level has been among the top strides made to overcome this challenge.
Methods used to contain high levels of Fluoride include the Nalgonda technique using filters such as activated alumina. Plans for these plants are to filter the water to produce safe drinking water for many people, for example, in rural regions.
Also, through the campaign to have people embrace rainwater harvesting to avoid contaminated groundwater with Fluoride. Some incentives, such as subsidies for constructing rooftop rainwater harvesting (RRWH) systems and technical support, have been made available to facilitate the establishment of RRWH systems at individual and community levels.
This is particularly important because it assisted in reducing the proportion of homes relying on highly-fluoride-containing water sources and improving the quality of consumed water.
Huge efforts have also been made to undertake intensive tests and mapping of available groundwater sources to establish areas with high Fluoride content. It also means direct intercessions are made for those districts that are highly impacted, with the rank logically flowing from the data. Information has been aired to the public and the communities on some of the dangers Fluoride poses and the necessity of using safe water.
In addition, early diagnosis and treatment of the diseases caused by high amounts of fluorides has been provided through health monitoring of affected persons, especially the vulnerable groups in society, like children and expectant mothers. These combined efforts show that efforts are being made at the policy and academic level to deal with fluoride contamination in Rajasthan.
This has created a public health concern mainly for Rajasthan’s inhabitants when it comes to taking water from the faucet, especially in a rural village such as Devpura, where the concentration level of Fluoride on the water samples collected is high. The sad real-life experiences of the Singh family and others well illustrate the scale of this problem and its consequences: high rates of mortality among infants and increased incidence of diseases among the population.
Although the government has acted to tackle the issue by setting up defluorination plants, rainwater harvesting techniques, and, most importantly, the rigorous examination of groundwater, they, too, are insufficient. Engaging the community and individuals in improving water quality and using household water filtration systems and other tools to teach the population about safe water use is essential.
The people of Rajasthan can effectively address the problem to improve their health and future generations of children. Fluoride has become a severe issue, and it’s everyone’s responsibility to stop its contamination; therefore, the fight against fluoride contamination requires the support of the government and the public.
