Sridhar, Resident of Pavagada says that people climb 4000FT to the Pavagada fort to carry fresh drinking water, free from fluoride for their pregnant wives. This is how acute Fluorosis is in Pavagada, where not a drop of water is free from fluoride and expectant mothers live in constant fear, lest their children are born handicapped.
Pavagada, a land without safe drinking water. With 2,46,255 people and 252 villages, Fluorosis has left 70% of the 500 residents in Thimmapura village in Pavagada taluk, crippled and unable to carry on their daily activities. Joint pain, abnormal growths, spinal cord problems, formations of lumps are some of the problems faced by the victims of Fluorosis.
Fluorosis is primarily caused by excessive presence of floride in water or food. Fluoride exceeding 1.2mg per liter can cause Fluorosis. A test revealed, that 181 villages in Pavagada Taluk, fluoride content is 1.6mg-5mg per litre. Thus, buying water remains only a privileged option to those affluent, while the rest are resigned to their fate.
Medical practitioners say that the foetus and the newborn, who consume breast milk are prone to Fluorosis. Dr Channakeshava, who is the Taluk Health inspector says “They are suffering from DUB dysfunctional uterine bleeding.. Due to weakness they are suffering from severe gynecological problems. We see a lot of fetal abnormalities children in Pavagada… like clubfoot, mentally retarded children. Lot of PPH cases … that is excessive bleeding after delivery more and more cases due to weakness of out body organ.”
Residents complain that neither the political parties nor government have done nothing to deflorinate the water. The State Government had launched the Sachetana scheme to help the people in Pavagada, sira and Bagapalli, where drinking water is causing health hazards. Several tests and experiments have been conducted but all of them have failed to yield any results.
Manjula, a resident of Pavagada says “We don’t have any government people coming here… its just you journalists who came here asking about us… there are no schemes to purify water. Not only children but the elders health is not good. we don’t know what to do.. for children we spend around 150-200 rs on health. We are all suffering from cold and cough. We are fed up with the government.”
Pavagada lives in hope that someday their water problems will be addressed, that somedat they can provide their children a safe life that they deserve. The hope lives on… but the solution is still a long way off…
