Economics of Ground Water Development in Arsenic and Fluoride affected areas of West Bengal, India

Abstract

The state of West Bengal in India is severely affected from both high concentrations of Arsenic and Fluoride. Many existing studies on Fluoride and Arsenic have focused on the problem of mobilization of contaminants and some on the epidemiological aspects. This paper looks at the impact of the problem on the people affected. Medical cost is a burden of the affected people as also wage loss and complete inability to work. This is enhanced by the stigma that these ailments carry and the general perception about them in rural areas, partly influenced by doctor's reluctance or ignorance in linking the symptoms with the cause. One important reason for hiding the ailment is also perceived genetic links amongst people, which affects marriageability amongst the youths. Some of these social impacts are measurable. Some others are intangible – loss in self-confidence, a self-enclosing of an affected pocket. What we see as common in both Fluoride and Arsenic contamination related problems is the root cause of both, i.e. groundwater contamination and that these impacts are longer term as opposed to short-term ailments such as Diarrhea that also emanate from water contamination. Thus, an attempt is made to measure these tangible components of the social impacts of Fluoride and Arsenic contamination – those of medical cost and wage loss.