Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Arsenic Problem in Ballia District (U.P.), A Road Map for Mitigation of Problem

Arsenic Problem in Ballia District, A Road Map for Mitigation of Problem

Arsenic in the ground water is a worldwide problem as about 150 million people are at risk and more than 70 countries are suffering from this havoc. Arsenic is a carcinogen and responsible of various types of cancers. This problem is more wide spread in middle and lower Ganga Basin, as the source of arsenic is the Himalayas and arsenic will be found in all those areas, in varying quantities, where Himalaya-fed rivers flow. Ballia District of UP is also suffering with this problem. A report by Prof Dipanker Chakraborty, director at the School of Environment Studies at Jadavpur University who has carried out extensive work in the arsenic affected parts of UP, Bihar and Bangladesh, has said that in places where there is large-scale withdrawal , groundwater gets aerated and the arsenic compounds present in the water get degraded by the oxygen. Arsenic also has an affinity for iron, so arsenic- laced water will usually have a yellow tinge due to the presence of iron. In Ballia district during 1994-2009, there has been an increase of 40% in tubewell irrigated area which indicate the extent of withdrawal of ground water. A team of Imran Ali, Atiqur Rahman, Tabrez Alam Khan, Syed Dilshad Alam, Joheb Khan, of Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, conducted a study in 2010 to study the extent  of arsenic contamination by using chemical data and GIS application (Ali et al., 2012).  100 samples were collected from deep, medium and shallow aquifer twice in pre-monsoon (April, 2010) and post-monsoon seasons (December, 2010). The samples were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrometer and correlated with geological features. The correlation between arsenic contamination with geological features and seasonal variation were analyzed by GIS. An analysis of their results indicated following:
1.      The arsenic contamination increases as the width of Doab is decreasing i.e. from west to east.
2.      The blocks which have zero irrigated area from canal have more arsenic contamination.
3.      The arsenic level is lower in deeper aquifer.
4.      No much seasonal variation has been observed in that year but this may be due to poor rainfall during monsoon 2010, only 511 mm against normal of 983 mm. Due to this no recharge could have taken place.

In view of this, following short term, medium term and long term measures are suggested:

Short term
1.      Arsenic filter developed by Jadavpur University should be provided to villages with priority to blocks located in eastern part of district.
2.      All hand pumps should be deepened to extract water only from deep aquifer. This will take care of arsenic problem in western and central part to a good extent.

Medium term
1.      As the non-presence of canal has shown higher arsenic concentration which indicates that the recharge to ground water reduces the concentration. Due to non maintenance of village ponds, most of them have silted up and thus the recharge capacity of these have reduced significantly. Thus all ponds should be desilted and their original capacity should be restored. This will facilitate recharge of ground water and subsequent reduction in arsenic concentration. The MANAREGA funds can be used for this purpose.

Long term
1.      Since the deep aquifer will be tapped for both drinking as well as irrigation purposes, there is need to develop a ground water recharge plan to this aquifer. The water balance of the ground water aquifer should be studied and the amount of water withdrawn every year should be recharged back. This will improve the quality in long run and will reverse the deterioration process of water quality.


Ref.: Imran Ali, A. Rahman, T. A. Khan,  S. D. Alam, J. Khan. 2012. Recent Trends of Arsenic Contamination in Groundwater of Ballia District, Uttar Pradesh, India Gazi University Journal of Science GU J Sci 25(4): 853-861

Table 1 Arsenic levels in ground water in different blocks of Ballia district
Sl. No.
Block
Pre-monsoon 2010
Post monsoon 2010
Shallow
Medium
Deep
Shallow
Medium
Deep
1.
Belthra Road
14-180
30-120
6-60
23-180
10-130
2-102
2.
Nagra
14-180
30-120
6-60
23-180
10-130
2-102
3.
Rasra
14-180
30-120
6-60
23-180
10-130
2-102
4.
Chilkahar
14-180
30-120
6-60
23-180
10-130
2-102
5.
Pandah
14-180
30-120
6-60
23-180
10-130
2-102
6.
Navanagar
180-360
121-310
61-155
181-360
131-250
103-203
7.
Maniyar
361-540
211-300
116-176
361-540
251-370
204-304
8.
Gadhwar
181-360
121-310
61-115
181-360
121-310
61-115
9.
Beruarbari
181-360
121-310
61-115
181-360
121-310
61-115
10.
Hanumanganj
181-360
121-310
61-115
181-360
121-310
61-115
11.
Sohaon
361-540
211-300
116-176
361-540
211-300
116-176
12.
Bansdih
541-720
301-390
177-237
541-720
301-390
177-237
13.
Dubhad
541-720
301-390
177-237
541-720
301-390
177-237
14.
Belhari
721-820
391-450
238-300
721-820
391-450
238-300
15.
Reoti
541-720
301-390
177-237
541-720
301-390
177-237
16.
Baria
721-820
391-450
238-300
721-820
391-450
238-300
17.
Murli chapra
721-820
391-450
238-300
721-820
391-450
238-300


(1)    Shallow (0-80 feet), (2) Medium (81-120 feet), and (3) Deep aquifer (above 120 feet).





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