New Delhi, 3rd April, 2013
The National Human Rights Commission has found that a large number of villagers have become crippled due to high Fluoride in water in three villages of Pratappur, Darmi and Parsi in District Garhwa of Jharkhand where drinking water is scarce. Keeping in view the seriousness of the problem, the Commission has asked the Garhwa District Municipality to take immediate steps for supply of two tankers of drinking water daily in these villages without further loss of time.

The Commission has also asked the State Govt. through its Chief Secretary to submit a status report on the urgent implementation of the short-term measures suggested in the report of its Special Rapporteur, Mrs. S. Jalaja within six weeks.

The Commission noticed that the supply of drinking water is not very effective in the Garhwa District as the District Municipality supplied only one tanker of water in the area instead of required two tanker loads. This too, continued only for eight days and thereafter it was stopped.

The Commission has observed that supply of drinking water is absolutely essential considering the conditions of life and death, and if adequate clean water is not made available to the people in the area, it would amount to serious violation of human rights.

The Commission, in the year 2011, had taken suo motu cognizance of the problem of high content of Fluoride in the water resulting in physical deformities in the people of Garhwa District in Jharkhand. The matter was inquired into by an expert team constituted by the Ministry of Drinking Water, Sanitation and Rural Development, Govt. of India. Its report was sent to the Jharkhand Govt. for taking action. The Commission being not satisfied with the Action Taken Report of the State Govt., referred the matter to Dr. Satyanarayana of Public Health Foundation for an expert opinion. On his advise, the Commission asked its Special Rapporteur to visit the place and submit a comprehensive report.

Giving detail account of the various problems of the people, she has suggested various short-term and long-term measures. The urgently required short-term measures on which the Commission has sought Action Taken Report from the State Govt. within six weeks are as under:

i) Commission may like to issue directions to the Government of Jharkhand to make functional the RWS in Pratappur with immediate effect by ensuring minimum power supply to the water treatment plant and ensuring coordination between the line departments. If it does not become operational, accountability should be fixed and strict action taken against the concerned within one month under intimation to the Commission.
ii) Safe drinking water should be distributed to the villagers by the District administration with the help of Municipality/DWSD till such time the treatment plant is operational. Additional funds, if any, which are needed to meet the expenditure may be provided by the State Government.
iii) Antyodaya Scheme ought to be restarted in the affected area with immediate effect to mitigate hunger and malnutrition in the area. Other poverty alleviation schemes should be integrated with it.
iv) Construction of water harvesting tanks near clusters of irrigation wells constructed under MGNREGA will be useful in recharging the wells and also would possibly fill them with surface water which has lesser Fluorosis. This may also help provide employment to the poor who can still work. The funds understandably still available under MGNREGA and also with DWSD could be pooled and utilized by the District Administration during this summer itself so that water harvesting is effective from the ensuring Monsoon.
v) For better coverage and targeting, Anganwadis should be sanctioned war-wise (tola-wise as in Bihar) after a quick assessment.
vi) A doctor may be deputed along with an ANM to the affected area on fixed days of the week, as agreed to, with immediate effect.
vii) Three consultants may be provided to the Civil Surgeon to continue survey and mapping of affected households. Mapping, including computerization, should be completed within a definite time-frame.
viii) A separate OPD for Fluorosis should be set up in the Sadar Hospital to function on fixed days of the week.
ix) One Nurse appointed under NRHM should be earmarked for the programme.
x) A Dentist should be posted to the hospital for taking care of those affected by Dental Fluorosis.
xi) Those who are severely affected by Fluorosis and are crippled, if need be, in the opinion of the Civil Surgeon, be shifted to the hospital for care.
xii) Training ought to he given to all doctors and health functionaries by reputed institutions or Fluorosis.
xiii) Preventive action for Fluorosis need to be carefully planned Tola-wise. Similarly condition of each of the affected needs to be monitored.
xiv) UNICEF should be involved in a big way in chalking out and implementation of the programmes in coordination with the district administration.
xv) Monitoring committees need to be set up at the level of DDC, DM and at the State level.
xvi) A progress report should be sent by the State Government to the Commission in every 15 days.

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