I agree. I was also looking for a source or some reference or the scope of the study and sample group. Will be good if these were specified. Thanks Padma
On 10/5/07, Roger Moody <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Very interesting report - but what is the study referred to and > depended upon? If it's the health study at one school > referred to in the article, that seems too slight to draw such major > conclusions(and what's the reference for that study?) > > We can circulate this widely, but need the basic sources first, please > > Thanks > > > Roger Moody > Managing Editor, Mines and Communities, London > > ----- Original Message ----- > *From:* Jharkhand Info. <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > *To:* [email protected] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > *Cc:* [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; > [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] > *Sent:* Friday, October 05, 2007 12:31 PM > *Subject:* [ =>> Jharkhand <<= ] Pollution in coal fields of Jharkhand > State in India > > > > > > The health hazards, degeneration of the health conditions of the people > especially tribal women and children and water contamination is one of the > most serious impacts of coal mining in Jharkhand. > > Jharkhand is an area of abundant coalmines. Most of the coalmines are > situated in Hazaribag, Chatra, Palamau, Rajmahal, Dhanbad and Ranchi > district. Mighty Damodar River and its tributaries flow through these > coalmines. > > Jharkhand is the homeland of over a dozen indigenous communities, the > major ones being the Santhals, the Mundas, the Oraons and the Hos. Most of > their population are concentrated around the coal mines area. > > Today, the picture of Damodar River or Damuda, considered a sacred river > by the local tribals, is quite like a sewage canal shrunken and filled with > filth and rubbish, emanating obnoxious odours. This river once known as > "River of Sorrow" for its seasonal ravages, has now turned into a "River of > Agony" from the environmental point of view. > > Due to extensive coal mining and vigorous growth of industries in this > area water resources have been badly contaminated. The habitants have, > however, been compromising by taking contaminated and sometimes polluted > water, as there is no alternative source of safe drinking water. Thus, a > sizeable populace suffers from water borne diseases. > > The Damodar river basin is a repository of approximately 46 per cent of > the Indian coal reserves. A high demographic and industrial expansion has > taken place in last three decades in the region. Exploitation of coal by > underground and open cast mining has lead to a great environmental threat in > this area. > > Besides mining, coal based industries like coal washeries, coke oven > plants, coal fired thermal power plants, steel plants and other related > industries in the region also greatly impart towards degradation of the > environmental equality vis-a-vis human health. > The most affected part of the natural- resources is water in this region > and thereby human health. > > It is a small rainfed river (541 km long) originating from the Khamerpet > hill (1068 m), near the trijunction of Palamau, Ranchi, and Hazaribag > districts of Jharkhand. It flows through the cities Ramgarh, Dhanbad, > Asansol, Durgapur, Bardwan and Howrah before ultimately joining the lower > Ganga (Hooghly estuary) at Shayampur, 55 km downstream of Howrah. The river > is fed by a number of tributaries at different reaches, the principal ones > being Jamunia, Bokaro, Konar, Safi, Bhera, Nalkari and Barakar. > The total catchment area of the basin is about 23,170 km of this, three- > fourth of the basin lies in Jharkhand and one-fourth in West Bengal. The > major part of the rainfall (82%) occurs during the monsoon season with a few > sporadic rains in winter. Damodar basin is an important coal bearing area > and at least seven coal fields are located in this region. > > High increase in the population i.e. from 5.0 million (1951) to 14.6 mil- > lion (1991) has been observed during the last four decades which is the out- > come of the heavy industrialisation in this basin mainly in coal sector. Due > to easy availability of coal and prime cooking coal, several thermal power > plants, steel plants have grown up. Discharge of uncontrolled and untreated > industrial wastewater, often containing highly toxic metals is the major > source of pollution of Damodar River. > > Mine water and runoff through overburden material of open cast mines also > contribute towards pollution of nearby water resources of the area. Huge > amount of overburden materials have been dumped on the bank of the river and > its tributaries, which finally get spread in the rivers especially in the > rainy season. These activities have resulted in the visible deterioration of > the quality of the river water. > The large scale mining operations going on this region have also adversely > affected ground water table in many areas with the result that yield of > water from the wells of adjoining villages has drastically reduced. Further, > effluents discharged from the mine sites have also seriously, polluted the > underground water of the area. > > Mine water does not have acid mine drainage problem. It may be due to the > fact that coal deposits of this basin are associated with minor amounts of > pyrites and contain low Sulphur. Iron content in this water is found in the > range of 1 to 6 mg/1. Though it is not alarming but it may be toxic to some > aquatic species. Mine water is generally bacterially contaminated which is > clear from the value lying in the range of 100 to 2500. > > Heavy metals like manganese, chromium, lead, arsenic, mercury, floride, > cadmium, and copper are also found in the sediments and water of Damodar > river and its tributary like Safi River. Permian coal of this area contains > all these toxic elements in considerable amount. Presence of lead is high > above the alarming level i.e. 300 ppm (parts Per million) in the coals of > North Karanpura coal field. > The study warned that long term exposure to the lead present in that area > might result in general weakness, anorexia, dyspepsia, metallic taste in the > mouth, headache, drowsiness, high blood pressure and anaemia etc. > > The Damodar sediments are deficient in calcium and magnesium and rich in > potassium concentration. Titanium and iron are the dominant heavy metals > followed by manganese, zine, copper, chromium, lead, arsenic, and mercury. > Other heavy metal like strontium shows more or less uniform concentration > throughout the basin. Average concentration of strontium in the sediments of > the river is 130 ppm. Silica is also high in the sediments of Damodar River > and its tributary. The value is 28ppm. > > Arsenic in the water ranges from 0.001 to 0.06 mg/1, mercury ranges from > 0.0002 to 0.004 mg/1, floride ranges from 1 to 3 mg/1. > It is obvious that due to extensive coal mining and vigorous growth of > industries in this area water resources have been badly contaminated. The > habitants have, however, been compromising by taking contaminated and > sometimes polluted water, as there is no alternate source of drinking water. > Thus, a sizeable populace suffers from water borne diseases. > > As per the heath survey of about three lakh people, the most common > diseases are dysentery, diarrhoea, skin infection, worm infection, jaundice, > and typhoid. Dysentery and skin infections occur in high percentage in the > area. If proper steps are not taken up the total population mostly tribals > will be on the verge of extinction. > > The Agaria tribe and other tribes that inhabit the coalfields of North > Karanpura and East Parej, India are faced with severe water contamination. > In East Parej, more than 80% of the community lives in poverty. Water for > the community comes from hand pumps, dug wells, local streams and rivers. In > some areas, mine water and river water is supplied through pipes. But most > people are dependent on other sources - which are contaminated - for their > water needs. Women and children in these areas have to travel more than 1 > kilometer to fetch safe drinking water. Most villagers are left with no > choice but to drink contaminated water. Dug wells are generally dried up > during the summer and winter. Natural drainage is obstructed and diverted > due to the expansion of mining. Villagers in these areas have no concept of > how to preserve and purify rainwater. > > Our longevity has reduced drastically, said Phulmani Kujur a 38 year old > women of East Parej coal field. We avoid taking bath everyday, there are a > gap of 5 to 10 days, and do not drink water adequately due to water > pollution, said Mahesh a Santhal Tribe of the same village. > > Study reveals that average longevity of women in East Parej coal field was > found to be 45 and in most of the villages only one or two women had crossed > the age of 60. In North Karanpura coal field average longevity of male is 50 > years and that of female is 45 years. > The number of deaths in a period of five years, in East Parej, also > reveals shocking figures in Dudhmatia village: 6 out of average 80 people, > in Agariatola village: 12 out of average 100 people, in Lapangtandi: 13 out > of average 115 people, and in Ulhara: 9 (seven were children) out of average > 80 people. > > Villagers of Agariatola complain that their only source of drinking water > has been damaged due to dumping of overburden and expansion of open cast > mine. Villagers have no substitute but to drink the water of well provided > by the miners which according to the villagers is not good in taste with > foul smell and yellow colour. Villagers of Dudhmatia of the same coal field > complained about foul smell present in the water of the only hand pump. > > Average kilometers travel by the villagers to retrieve safe drinking water > is 1 to 2 kilometers. In summer season we have to travel even more to have > safe drinking water, alleged women of the affected areas. Sometimes > organizations supply us the water through tankers but they are not > sufficient, said villagers of the East Parej, North Karanpura and South > Karanpura coal field. > > In the absence of even primary hospital and doctors in East Parej (there > is only one hospital run by Central Coalfields Limited, and is for the > employees only) villagers are more dependent on the quacks as they are the > regular visitor in the remote area. > > Our children are the most affected due to living in such unhygienic > conditions and filth, said villagers of the North Karanpura coal field, one > of the biggest coal mines of the area. > These are one of the most common situations in all the coal mines area of > Jharkhand. Most of the population in North Karanpura coal field is dependent > on Safi River for drinking and other domestic purposes. This river is > polluted because of the coalmines waste dumped along the banks of the river > at different locations. Water of the area is contaminated with toxic metals > like arsenic and mercury. Manganese has crossed the toxic level ( > 3.6milligram per liter against the permissible level of > 0.5 mg/l.). According to WHO (World Health Organization) high manganese > may affect with the symptoms like lethargy, increased muscle tone and mental > disturbances. > > Health survey done among the boys and girls in a local school it was found > that majority of the children (both tribal and non-tribal) are lethargic may > be due to inhalation of coal dust and consumption of contaminated water > containing high manganese. > > In the coal fields of Jharkhand most of the tribal women are employed in > secondary activities such as loading and unloading of the coals. According > to Chotanagpur Adivasi Sewa Samiti, a NGO working in Hazaribag district, > constant contact with dust pollution and indirectly through contamination of > water, air, etc. cause severe health hazard to women workers. As majority of > the women workers are contract labourers, and paid on daily wage basis there > is no economic security or compensation paid due to loss of workdays on > account of health problems. Even during pregnancy women has to work in > hazardous conditions amidst noise, air pollution that have adverse affects > on their offspring. > > Malaria is very common. It is found that there are numerous ditches, > stagnant mine water, and open tanks breeding all the species mosquitoes. > Majorities of the death were attributed to malaria. Next come the skin > diseases such as eczema, rashes on the skin etc. it may be due to lack of > care and cleanliness or due to the presence of nickel in drinking water. In > some area like East Parej high nickel ( 0.024 mg/l) have been reported in > the water. According to WHO nickel is a common skin allergen. > > Many especially children of the coal fields suffer from dysentery and > diarrhoea. According to the residents of the coal field, it is because of > consuming contaminated water. About 60% of the local people are affected > with seasonal allergies. Other diseases found were tuberculosis, headache, > joints pain (pain begins at the age of 5 to 10 years, especially in North > Karanpura), gastric, cough and cold and asthma. > > When asked from the villagers in East Parej and North Karanpura about what > do they think about future, they replied situation is going to worsen. They > are not very confident about their life span. There is always a threat of > displacement due to expansion of coal mining, which finally affects their > longevity. > > Fluoride, arsenic, nickel, sulfate, and manganese pose the biggest threats > to water sources in the region. They have been shown to cause adverse > effects when consumed over a long period of time. Health care facilities can > improve the situation immensely, but it is more desirable to maintain the > philosophy that prevention is better than the cure. Medical checkups can be > adopted to improve the situation. Installation of pollution control > equipment is needed for monitoring and analyzing pollution data. Seeing that > nearly all the water sources under study are contaminated, the only short > term solution for safe drinking water is rain water harvesting. Indigenous > methods, such as disinfecting and purifying water with the help of medicinal > plants, can be adopted for purifying water in ways that are cost efficient. > > The international community can also help by providing funds to carry out > research and analysis of the problem in more detail. Publishing these > results can help other communities around the world figure out the best > methods for improving water quality. Awareness programs should be given > major importance. > > > Dr. Nitish Priyadarshi > Geologist > Ranchi, Jharkhand > India. > > > -- > Jharkhand Online Network > www.jharkhand.org.uk > > > -- Padmaparna Ghosh Mint-HT Hindustan Times House, 16th Floor, Kasturba Gandhi Marg, Connaught Place, New Delhi-110001 Ph: 0-98106-10121
