December 3, 2015
Idrish Ali raises the issue of arsenic problem in Basirhat during Zero Hour in Lok Sabha
Thank you Madam Hon’ble Speaker.
I am deeply grateful to our Chief Minister Smt Mamata Banerjee because due to her I have become member of this august House.
Contamination of the ground water in India has become a major health hazard during the last decade. Madam, arsenic contamination of ground water is a specific problem in 9 districts out of 20 districts in West Bengal, out of which my constituency Basirhat with a population of over 15 lakh people is the most affected area.
Madam Speaker, earlier during the periods the House has recorded the effect of the serious threat of arsenic. But with deep sorrow I would like to inform the House that my entire constituency, that is Basirhat, is still is in bad days. I want to inform you that more than four crore people are affected with diseases caused from arsenic.
Earlier the central Government funded 75% for the project. Then the allocation came down to 50% during the last few years. And recently unfortunately fund has been discontinued. As a result the plans have become inactive and have been shut down due to huge maintenance cost and mainly due to extent of excessive percentage level of arsenic contents.
Keeping in view the acute problem, Madam, before it goes out of hand, I deeply urge upon the Government to immediately take special attention to supply of arsenic free water to all the people of the country. Not only as the duty of the Government as what on the ground of humanism, which by virtue is a right to people.
I like to warn the Central Government to take time bound strategic programme before it breaks as pervasive threat.
I want to say only two lines in Bengali:
আমরা জানি আমাদের নেত্রী উন্নয়নের প্রতীক, শ্রীমতী মমতা ব্যানার্জি যার সাথে মাদার টেরেসার তুলনা করা যায়, তিনি জনস্বার্থে বহু কাজ করছেন। তবে কেন্দ্রীয় সরকারের এব্যাপারে immediate step নেওয়ার জন্য আপনার মাধ্যমে আবেদন করছি।
