Residents of Bantlapalli in Atmakur mandal of Nellore district have been facing severe drinking water problem for the last few years. The village has 500 people and residents suffer from kidney and skin diseases, many becoming disabled as the water available in the village has high quantity of fluoride content. People who are in their 40s have aged and doctors have been advising them to leave the village instead of going for treatment. People have to walk nearly 1.5 kms to the adjacent Khansahebpet village of Marripadu mandal to fetch drinking water.

Fortyeight-year-old diamond cutter Ravajibhai Rathod living in Sanaliya village of Liliya taluka is unemployed for the last three years. He was a skilful worker, but now due to fluorosis he can neither bend his knees nor walk without a stick.

The groundwater reserves are depleting at an alarming rate in Punjab besides a serious decline in the quality of water at many places due to overuse of the available resources, says a study. Out of a total of 137 blocks covered under the study, only 25 have been found safe with 103 of them being overexploited, five being critical and four in a semi-critical state, says a study conducted by the Water Resources and Environment Directorate, Punjab Irrigation Department.

Arsenic and flourides are found in the underground water in Barak valley. In order to make underground water free from arsenic and flourides all necessary preventive measure have been adopted by the State government. The PHE Minister Rihon Daimary disclosed the fact while inaugurating Kumbhirgram TE water supply scheme.

Tests have so far detected the presence of excess fluoride and arsenic in 449 blocks in five districts and in 614 blocks in 18 districts of the State respectively.