A committee headed by H. Sudarshan, founder of Karuna Trust, on Monday submitted a report on arsenic underground water in Raichur and Yadgir districts to Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister H.K. Patil.
Speaking to reporters, Mr. Patil said that a Central Laboratory for Water Testing would be established in Raichur to test water samples periodically for arsenic.
Water quality
It would regularly monitor water quality in various parts of the district to ensure that the water consumed by the people is not arsenic.
A sum of Rs. 1 crore had been sanctioned for the laboratory.
Recommendations
The report has recommended several measures to address the problem of arsenic underground water in various districts of the State, Mr. Patil said.
He said that a decision has been taken to seal over 100 borewells in Raichur and Yadgir districts where arsenic level in underground water is higher than the permissible limits.
About 44 villages in Manvi, Lingsugur, Deodurga and Sindhanur taluks of Raichur district and 19 villages in Surpur taluk of Yadgir district contained arsenic more than the permissible limit of 0.05 milligram per litre of water.