Carewater INREM Foundation

This study by Carewater INREM Foundation looks at water saving technologies such as micro-irrigation through drip and sprinkler irrigation in North Gujarat and the changes that its introduction has brought about in the rural society. The study analyses the changes in farming system and socio-economic impacts at the household level through “before-and-after” (longitudinal) comparison of adopters and “with-or-without” (cross sectional) comparison between adopters and non-adopters.Read More

This study by Carewater INREM Foundation attempts to create a salinity ingress profile by means of geo-chemical analysis for the Junagadh coastal area for the pre-monsoon period of 2006. Salinity in coastal groundwater is a widespread problem and may be caused by individual or combined effects of inherent salinity, tidal effect, irrigation by saltwater and by seawater intrusion due to extensive pumping.Read More

This discussion paper by Carewater INREM Foundation deals with groundwater contamination and rural water treatment in Gujarat. The State is characterized by varied hydrogeology and vast areas are faced with typical groundwater quality problems like fluoride. Much of the coastal groundwater is saline while the alluvial tract is marked with inland salinity.Read More

• Phase I: Investigation of the prevalence rate of fluorosis in 25 villages from Mehsana and Patan districts of Gujarat.
• Phase II: Detailed study of social cost from a sample of 235 households selected from 18 of the 25 villages.

It is difficult to draw any conclusion for this multi-faceted problem of fluorosis or to propose a universally accepted strategy. People need water, so they sink deep wells and eventually harvest poisonous water to an extent unmindfully and are finally caught up in the trap of irreversible fluorosis. The respondents of the study have very poor awareness about water quality and the availability of fluoride-free or de-mineralized water. Even if it is available, their poor affordability prevents them to purchase.

The question arises, what should the state or the people at an individual or collective level do, when the available fluoride content water in the village has to be used ‘willingly-or-unwillingly’? The study suggests the following -

• Developing awareness on fluorosis and fluoride contaminated water in the villages. 
• Providing less expensive water filters (like Activated Alumina Plant being used in Southern Rajasthan) for de-fluoridation at home.
• Developing Cooperative-Captive Plants that could be organized by the villagers and not by external agencies. Instead of a big plant, the government could intervene to set up a plant sized up to village-needs, which can be managed by the villagers themselves.  
• There is a possibility of reducing fluoride from groundwater by mixing river water with groundwater, which is now a practice in North Gujarat.
• Further, groundwater should be recharged using check-dam or any other suitable procedure, which would help reducing fluoride. 

It is time to recognize fluorosis and take some preventive measures and rehabilitate the present victims instead of covering it up behind the mask of Musculo-Skeletal Disease (MSD).

Download the report here: