Hogenakkal Water Supply and Fluorosis Mitigation Project

In India, development of water supply facilities has not been able to keep up with the increase in water usage due to the population growth, leading to a serious imbalance in the supply and demand of water. Also, excess dependency on groundwater forced by delays in the development of water supply facilities utilizing surface water has caused groundwater level depletion, resulting in such problems as contamination of fluoride, arsenic, and other harmful substances in groundwater. In India, the number of patients suffering from fluorosis due to drinking water contamination by fluoride is as high as 66 million. Prolonged consumption of groundwater containing more than the maximum fluoride level (1.5 mg/L) permitted under WHO guidelines has caused serious damage to people’s teeth, bones, internal organs as well as to unborn children. The 11th 5-Year Plan (April 2007–March 2012) by the Government of India, incorporates a “National Fluorosis Mitigation Programme” which deals with the fluoride issue on a national scale for the first time.

Link : http://www.cmie.com/kommon/bin/sr.php?kall=wclrdhtm&nvdt=20130611152704523&nvpc=099000000000&nvtype=TIDINGS