Public Health Engineering Minister Ramsevak Paikra on Monday informed the Chhattisgarh Assembly that drinking water in at least 395 villages of 17 districts in Chhattisgarh had excess fluoride content. The fluoride content in drinking water of these villages is beyond permissible limit, he informed in a written reply to BJP member Santosh Bafna. The Minister informed that complaints about excess fluoride content was received from 395 villages in 17 districts. Fluoride content in 67 villages of Surguja district was maximum followed by Bastar (56), Surajpur (39), Dhamtari (35), Koriya (32), Balod (30), Kondagaon (30), Mahasamund (27), Balrampur (25), Korba (19), Kanker (13), Bijapur (8),Durg (7), Raigarh (4) and one village each in Bemetara, Kabirdham, Gariyaband, he informed. Not a single complaint of villagers falling sick after consuming water with excess fluoride content was received from Bastar region, Paikra informed. With installation of Fluoride Removal Plant (FRP), Nal-Jal scheme and other initiatives taken up, safe drinking water is being provided to people residing in villages affected by excess fluoride content, the Minister informed.