29% Of Bangladesh Citizens Affected By Arsenic In Wellwater - People's Daily

[hatrack]

Some 29 percent of Bangladesh's population are affected by arsenic contamination, UNB news agency reported Sunday. "All tube-wells in 8,000 villages across the country are found 100 percent arsenic contaminated," chief engineer of the Department of Public Health and Engineering Mustafizur Rahman said at a press briefing here Sunday.

The briefing was held on the eve of launching the "Sanitation Month-October 2007" following the United Nations' declaration of the year 2008 as "Sanitation Year" highlighting the benefits of sanitation. The campaign is designed to set up sanitary latrines at every household and ensure people's access to pure drinking water.

Health Adviser Dr ASM Matiur Rahman said Bangladesh government started the sanitation movement across the country to ensure sanitation for all by the year 2010.

He said some 84.73 percent coverage of sanitation has been attained in the country till June 2007 while some 33.21 percent of families used sanitary latrines in 2003 when the formal campaign for sanitation began.

EDIT

http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90782/6275498.html

[SmokingJacket]

1. That's the worst-written article I've ever read.

Where does the arsenic come from? What does "100% contaminated" mean? What does arsenic have to do with hand-washing??

[hatrack]

2. Well, it is the People's Daily, so i'm assuming a translation from Chinese

And in answer to your question, it's naturally present in the soil & rocks of Bangladesh. Tube wells can get to the water, but (not surprisingly) in a country as poor as Bangladesh, cleaning & filtration systems are nearly non-existent.