Residents of Neralakere in Channarayapatna taluk have complained that many of them were facing health problems owing to consumption of contaminated water in the village and appealed to the Hassan district administration to ensure supply of clean and safe drinking water.
Residents have expressed suspicion that the fluoride content in the borewell water being supplied in the village might be very high.
Neralakere is a village of 120 houses. Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department (RDPR) has been supplying drinking water to the residents from a bore-well. As the number of people suffering from body ache and bone-related problems has increased in the village, the residents have complained with the officials of RDPR and the Department of Health that the drinking water being supplied to them is contaminated. Lack of a system or facility to filter the water pumped from the borewell has compounded the problem. “In the last one year, several people have developed joint pains. We have seen many people suffering from such pains in the villages in Arsiekre taluk, where groundwater contains high concentration of fluoride,” said Shankare Gowda, resident.
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In response, the Health Department officials visited the village and promised the people that the problem will be addressed.