Uranium poisoning water in 46 villages

ONGOLE: After fluoride, it has been found that ground water in 46 villages under Peddacherlapallil, Chandrasekhara Puram and Chimakurthy mandals in Prakasam district contains uranium.

This was revealed in a chemical analysis test conducted by the rural water supply department at a testing lab in Hyderabad.

Groundwater in Diwakarapuram village under P.C. Palli mandal contains the highest traces of uranium, 48.863 parts per billion (ppb), and in Hariramarajapalem Colony it is 41.818 ppb. Similarly, the groundwater at Harijana Colony contains 35.369 ppb of uranium and it is 28.093 ppb in P.C. Palli mandal. In Chandrasekhara Puram mandal, groundwater contains 17,723 ppb uranium and at

Aripalem its 10.828 ppb. In Naidupalem village it’s 3.233 ppb and in Bandlamudi Chimakurthy mandal it is 4.775 ppb.

However, the level of uranium presence is below the permissible limit of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, which is 60 ppb.

Still, the threat cannot be overlooked. The district medical and health officer M. Chandraiah said, “Those consuming uranium-contaminated drinking water will get kidney related problems.”

On the other hand, oncologist D.K. Raju Naidu of GGH said, “Those who consume uranium contaminated drinking water, have increased risk of cancer.”

In Chimalamarri village under Chimakurthi mandal, more than 10 persons have been suffering from kidney problems. Both kidneys were damaged in some cases.

Medical tests conducted by a hospital revealed that another 40 people are also facing a similar threat.

As complaints of kidney problem have started pouring in from these mandals, officials are  planning to set up R.O. plants under NTR Sujala Sravanthi scheme in these mandals to supply 20 litres of clean drinking water at Rs 2 from October 2.