Call for research on water contamination Staff Reporter GUWAHATI, Nov 26 When the talk is about sustainable development of groundwater in the region, the focus is immediately on issues like chemical contamination of groundwater and its impact on health. Experts participating in a regional workshop on water quality management held here at the National Institute of Rural Development (NIRD) stressed the need to address the presence of iron, fluoride and arsenic concentration beyond the permissible limit and called for more research work to devise ways and means that would ensure safe water.
The two-day workshop organized by the Central Ground Water Board, NER, concluded today. Earlier, the workshop was inaugurated by Rajan Nair, Chairman of the Brahmaputra Board, who spoke at length on nitrate contamination and emphasised detailed study of the same so that health hazards can be averted.
The workshop was attended by many prominent citizens, including AD Patgiri of Gauhati University, AB Paul, retired Chief Engineer, PHE, Dr K Haloi, Deputy Director of NIRD and GC Saha, Regional Director of Central Ground Water Board.
Later in the day, discussing the issues related to water quality management, experts insisted on collection of water samples in a scientific manner to get correct result.
It needs to be mentioned here that the Central Ground Water Board has been periodically collecting samples of water to trace the concentration of chemicals. It has this year found the presence of arsenic concentration beyond the permissible limit in Dhemaji and Majuli.
Scientists of the Board informed that fluoride concentration was more in Karbi Anglong and certain areas in Kamrup (Metro).
CK Jain from the National Institute of Hydrology, who spoke on arsenic concentration and mitigation strategies with special reference to the North East, said that there were two approaches to addressing arsenic presence in water. Either treat the contaminated water or go for alternate sources like surface water, rain water harvesting, etc, he said adding that it was best to go for alternate sources as treating arsenic contaminated water resulted in sludge, its disposal posing as the main problem.
