Arsenic Issues and Mitigation Initiatives in Bangladesh
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
'5$)7),1$/ Arsenic 2002 An overview of Arsenic Issues and Mitigation Initiatives in Bangladesh January - 2003 NAISU NGOs Arsenic Information & Support Unit (NAISU) NGO Forum for Drinking Water Supply & Sanitation Supported by: '5$)7),1$/ )RUHZRUG 7KH1*2V$UVHQLF,QIRUPDWLRQ 6XSSRUW8QLW 1$,68 DMRLQWLQLWLDWLYHRIWKH1*2)RUXPIRU'ULQNLQJ :DWHU6XSSO\ 6DQLWDWLRQDQG:DWHU$LG%DQJODGHVKKDVXSGDWHGWKHRULJLQDO:DWHU$LG%DQJODGHVK$UVHQLF UHSRUWGXULQJWKHSDVW\HDUUHVXOWLQJLQWKLVVHFRQGUHSRUWLQWKHVHULHV³$UVHQLF´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µWLSRIWKH LFHEHUJ¶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¶VSURJUDPPHDSSURDFKDQGWKHHIIRUWVRISDUWLFXODUDJHQFLHVSURJUDPPHVKDYHWDNHQDSRVLWLYH WXUQLQWKHODVW\HDURUVR+RZHYHULWLVGHHSO\GLVWXUELQJWKDWWKHVXPRIDOOJRYHUQPHQWQRQJRYHUQPHQW DQG SULYDWH VHFWRU HIIRUWV WR GDWH KDV QRW EHHQ HIIHFWLYH LQ GHOLYHULQJ VDIH DIIRUGDEOH ZDWHU VXSSO\ DOWHUQDWLYHVRQDQDWLRQDOVFDOHWRDGGUHVVWKHSUHVVLQJQHHGVRIDUVHQLFDIIHFWHGFRPPXQLWLHV :HQHHGWRSLQSRLQWQRZZKDWSURSRUWLRQRIDUVHQLFYLFWLPVKDYH VR IDU UHFHLYHG SURSHU WUHDWPHQW DQG HQVXUHWUHDWPHQWLVSURYLGHGWRWKHUHPDLQGHUZHQHHGWRHQVXUHQRYLFWLPVUHPDLQXQLGHQWLILHG:HQHHG WR FRPSOHWH WKH QDWLRQDO WXEHZHOO VFUHHQLQJ SURJUDPPH DV VRRQ DVSRVVLEOHDQGDFFXUDWHO\GLVWLOWKH LQIRUPDWLRQIRUSODQQLQJWKHQH[WSKDVHRIWKHQDWLRQDOPLWLJDWLRQHIIRUW:HPXVWWKRURXJKO\UHVHDUFKDQG DVVHVVWKHSRWHQWLDOULVNVDQGEHQHILWVRIVRXUFLQJJURXQGZDWHUIURPGHHSDTXLIHUV:HQHHGWRDFFHOHUDWH WKHJRYHUQPHQW¶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his Document was prepared by Team Identity Dr. Ziaul Hasan Rumi, NGO Forum Humayun Reza, NGO Forum Fatema Mannan, NGO Forum Sharmin Farhat Ubaid, NGO Forum S. M. Shahidullah, NGO Forum Sanjoy Mukherjee, NGO Forum Nargis Akhter, WaterAid, Bangladesh Morag Baird, WaterAid, Bangladesh Team Leader Dr. Abul Hasnat Milton Chief, Arsenic Cell, NGO Forum Design and Development NGOs Arsenic Information & Support Unit (NAISU) Overall Guidance and Supervision S M A Rashid, Executive Director NGO Forum for Drinking Water Supply & Sanitation Timothy J. Claydon, Country Representative WaterAid Bangladesh $UVHQLF 3DJHRI '5$)7),1$/ Our Voice NGOs Arsenic Information & Support Unit (NAISU) has prepared this document with an aim to provide an overview on the arsenic situation and mitigation activities by both the governmental and non-governmental organisations in Bangladesh. This documentation is the second successive update of the previous report 'Arsenic 2000' prepared by WaterAid Bangladesh. In this issue we have focused on the following issues on the basis of current knowledge and experience: the background to the arsenic contamination; the potential scale of the problem; the major work of key organizations working on arsenic mitigation; the methods of arsenic detection at both field and laboratory. the arsenic free alternative water option currently recommended for arsenic mitigation. An additional primary objective of this document is to promote coordination and information sharing between organizations and to portray a picture of the current arsenic mitigation activities and enhance communication with “newcomers”, providing a directory of activities and agencies already active in this field. In this issue we have documented the type of mitigation activities with the intervening areas with an aim to forestalling any duplication of work which we believe will help to take appropriate arsenic mitigation strategy for the management of arsenic crisis in Bangladesh. The NGOs Arsenic Information and Support Unit (NAISU), has been established to provide arsenic information support to small to medium sized organizations, to synthesise and disseminate appropriate arsenic mitigation related information, in plain language, for affected communities and for field workers at the grass roots supporting affected communities and households. To serve these objectives NAISU currently: publishes a quarterly newsletter 'Arsenic Bulletin' in easily understandable and accessible Bangla; provides training to small to medium sized organisations working with affected communities on arsenic issues and mitigation; develops and distributes communication materials for organisations and communities actively seeking deeper understanding on arsenic issues and mitigation options. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The documentation has been possible because of generous cooperation of the organizations that assisted with spontaneous response regarding detailed information about their arsenic related programmes. We like to express our cordial gratitude for their cooperation. We acknowledge the contribution of WaterAid’s Elizabeth Jones for the development of the original "Arsenic 2000"and Timothy Claydon for the concept. We would like to offer utmost thanks to: Peregrine Swann (DFID), Mr. Abdul Quader Choudhury (PD, BAMWSP), Mr. Mufad Choudhury (Sr. Asst. Secretary, LGED), Han A. Heijnen (WHO), and Jan Willem Rosenboom (UNICEF) for their support and advice during documentation. We like to extend special thanks to the reviewers for their suggestions and comments. We also here admit our failure in the case of any organisations which we could not reach and thus their initiatives could not be incorporated in this current report. Dr. Ziaul Hasan Rumi Technical Specialist NGOs Arsenic Information & Support Unit (NAISU) A collaborative project of WaterAid Bangladesh and NGO Forum for DWSS. $UVHQLF 3DJHRI '5$)7),1$/ Index Contents Page Introduction------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5 A.0. Background to the Arsenic Contamination and Potential Scale of the problem--------------------------------------------------- 6 A.1. Summary of activities and developments since the Arsenic 2000 Report---------------------------------------------------------- 9 B. Who is doing What on Arsenic Issues (Current and Proposed Activities)------------------------------------------------------------- 11 Bangladesh Government Initiatives 12 1. Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) and Local Government Division (LGD)--------------------------------------- 13 1.1 Bangladesh Arsenic Mitigation Water Supply Project-BAMWSP--------------------------------------------------------------------- 13 1.2 National Arsenic Mitigation Program-NAMP----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 15 1.3 Directorate General Health Services (DGHS)---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 18 1.4 Water Development Board----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------