Report of the central team on arsenic mitigation in rural drinking water sources in Ballia district, Uttar Pradesh state
There had been several newspaper clippings indicating that arsenic contamination in drinking water sources in Ballia district of Uttar Pradesh is creating hardship to the local people and several people are suffering from arsenecosis disease. Also, the capacity of the medical doctors is inadequate to diagnose arsenecosis and prescribe preventive medicine. This issue was brought out to the Ministry by an active NGO called “Inner Voice Foundation” headed by a dynamic person called Saurabh Singh. After interactions of the Ministry at various levels with Mr Singh, it was decided to study the problem in its totality and suggest the State Government about a clear roadmap for surveillance of arsenic related problems and provide arsenic free drinking water to the population of Ballia district, apart from providing similar interventions in other arsenic affected areas in the State of Uttar Pradesh.