Arsenic and fluoride contamination in water has been a nagging problem in the State.
It is hard to believe that people in as many as 3881 habitations spread over 21 districts in the State have been using arsenic and fluoride contaminated water as part of their food and other purposes, over the years.
According to sources in the State Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department, the Union Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation is coming up with 122 schemes under the NWQSM to mitigate arsenic and fluoride contamination in Assam, covering eight of the 21 affected districts.
The schemes are going to cover 1,439 arsenic and 7 fluoride contaminated habitations in the eight districts.
The detailed project reports (DPRs) of the schemes are under process.
While mitigating arsenic and fluoride contamination in water in 1,446 (1,439+7) habitations in eight districts, the schemes are set to cover 314 en-route habitations that are not arsenic and fluoride affected.
Arsenic and fluoride contamination in Assam leaves very few districts untouched.
The worst among the 21 arsenic affected districts in the State is Jorhat with 959 affected habitations, followed by Baksa with 821 habitations, Nalbari with 752 habitations and Barpeta with 458 habitations.
The State also received Rs 11.57 crore in March 2016 for the commissioning of water purification plans as short-term measures to ensure supply of safe drinking water in rural areas affected with arsenic and fluoride contamination.
However, habitations in as many as 21 districts in the State are still supplied with contaminated water.