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5 June 2003 by Karl Schuler, of the Swiss Red Cross, in Bangladesh Water is one of the riches of Bangladesh. No fewer that 52 rivers flow from the Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal, among them, the Padma - the River of the lotus flower – formed by the union of the Ganges and the Brahmaputra. Indeed, without water, the subsistence of the Bangladeshi people would be far from guaranteed – rice, which needs great quantities of water to grow, is their staple food. In Bangladesh there is water virtually everywhere you look. In flooded paddy fields the length and breadth of the country, millions of skilful hands have begun planting out the rice seedlings. Bangladesh is an overpopulated country. Its population density – 900 inhabitants per square kilometre – is five times greater that of Switzerland. Yet in this land criss-crossed by rivers and showered by annual monsoon rains, the surface water should be enough to meet the needs of man and beast, as well as irrigating the fields. However, 30 years ago, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Bangladeshi government decided to drill thousands of tube wells to collect subterranean waters. The consumption of this “clean” water led to a significant reduction in infant mortality. However, at the same time, a catastrophe of unimaginable scale was unfolding – mass arsenic poisoning. The experts noticed too late that the oxygen produced in the pumping process released the arsenic contained in the sediments. To date, 15,000 seriously sick people have been officially listed, but many people have already died. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Chorsagoledi is a small village like thousands of others in Bangladesh. The bamboo and clay houses, with their thatched roofs give it a picturesque air. Chorsagoledi is one of the few villages where an analysis has been carried out into the exact strength of the arsenic. Of the 61 water points in this place, 54 have been painted red, indicating that they are contaminated. So safe water can only be taken from the seven sources that are painted green. Even so, a dozen villagers already present the symptoms of arsenic poisoning – dark patches and lesions on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. A group of spectators have gathered in front of a video screen that has been installed in the village square. The women, in their brightly coloured saris, squat on one side, while the men, less numerous, are opposite. The children sit in the front row. This special day represents a welcome diversion to everyday life. But the villagers are not here to watch a Bollywood film, but a documentary on a very serious subject: arsenic. This event has been organised by the village’s health committee, mostly made up of women volunteers. Backed by the Swiss Red Cross, the Association for Village Advancement (AVA) has worked for many years in Chorsagoledi and 90 other communities in the central district of Faridpur. Its aim is to mobilise the population and improve medical care. Currently, the fight against arsenic poisoning is one of its biggest priorities. “The people have become mistrustful of development organisations. For years, they have encouraged them to use manual pumps to get clean water, and today these pumps represent a mortal danger,” says Jharna Ranidas, an AVA official. “Furthermore, arsenic poisoning is pernicious. It takes several years to detect the symptoms. That’s why people are still tempted to still use the pumps, even if they are painted red.” Raising awareness about the risks of contaminated water is therefore the absolute foundation of the fight against arsenic poisoning. To achieve this, the AVA has spent years winning the trust of the local population. There is no guaranteed solution to this catastrophe, nor do the Bangladeshi government or the specialised UN agencies have an efficient nationwide method to combat it. But the people are not entirely defenceless. As well as the simple tests that can determine the concentration of arsenic in the ground water, people can also return to more traditional methods that have been abandoned in recent years. Throughout the country, there are small reservoirs for collecting monsoon rains. This water can then be purified to avoid gastroenteritis and cholera. Another solution is to build to repair the wells that would allow people to draw uncontaminated water. Use of these wells has been completely replaced by the handpumps. In the villages where the Swiss Red Cross is present, such wells, often 10 metres deep, are being built. However, only the older well-makers have the necessary experience for this dangerous work. Now, they have the chance to pass on the secrets of their trade to a younger generation. To what extent can water contaminated with arsenic be purified? Experts commissioned by local organisations backed by the Swiss Red Cross, have developed a promising filter system that has already been installed in 160 villages. It consists of two earthenware pots, into which the water is poured. The first contains sand and steel wool, the second has coal, which retains the arsenic. The Bangladeshi population is paying the price for the still limited ability of the government and international organisations to halt a catastrophe that they themselves inadvertently created and which is now threatening millions of lives. Bangladesh is still searching for that essential source of life, safe drinking water. Related links: Bangladesh: appeals, updates and reports Swiss Red Cross |
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