 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Millions Drink Toxic Water In Northern India
Lucknow, India (AFP) May 08, 2006 Millions of people in poverty-ridden northern India are drinking water laced with cancer-causing chemicals, a government minister said Friday. A report released this week by the public works department in India's most populous state of Uttar Pradesh, said the water was "not fit for human consumption" and could lead to cancer and other illnesses. Contaminants such as arsenic, lead and cadmium were present in groundwater sources tested in 42 out of 70 districts, State Urban Development Minister Mohammed Azam Khan said, describing the findings as "frightening." "Once contaminated, it is very difficult to purify the water," the report added. The minister said the state would ask the World Bank for help in providing clean water. Doctors said there had been an upsurge in cancer among Uttar Pradesh's 180 million people in recent years, which could be linked to the polluted water. "If people are drinking water containing lead and arsenic it's bound to cause cancer sooner or later," said Sandeep Agarwal, a cancer specialist at the government-run King George's Medical College hospital. "Cancer has become very common even in young people. Earlier only 600 to 700 cancer cases were detected (at the college) a year but now the number is over 2,000," he said, adding that contaminated water could be one of the key causes. The majority of the sick were from rural areas, where untreated groundwater was the only source of drinking water, he said.
Source: Agence France-Presse Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Related Links - Our Polluted World and Cleaning It Up
China Environmental Woes Threaten Social Stability
Beijing (AFP) May 05, 2006China's environmental woes are becoming an increasing threat to social stability, with over 50,000 disputes and protests related to pollution recorded last year, state press reported Thursday. |
|
|
| The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement |
