By SHUBHAJIT Chakraborty

Bhojpur/Patna, April 01 – In the Bihar’s Bhojpur district, at least 18 babies have been born blind because of the arsenic contained water consumption by parents. The incident shook the villagers and it has been reported that the horrible reality is continuing from past three months. The groundwater contains alarming levels of arsenic that directly affected on people health.

Bihar’s Health Minister Nand Kishore Yadab on Wednesday admitted the blindness of new born babies but defied any report of arsenic role in it.

The 16 districts of Bihar have reported arsenic contamination of groundwater sources, and Bhojpur emerged on top, with 1,1861 parts per billion 9ppb) against the World Health Organization’s limit of 50 ppb.

Arsenic contaminated water leads to mostly cancer of intestine, liver, kidneys and bladder and that bone deformity, gangrene and skin disorders. This is the first time when arsenic water caused blindness at birth.

Dr S.K. Kedia, an eye specialist in Ara, who first examined these cases, said visual disability was found in both male and female children streaming in for examination from interior villages of the district.

“The villages of Bhaluipur, Barahra, Bihia, Shahpur and Sandesh seem to be the most affected,” Dr Kedia said.

“Ninety per cent of the newborns affected were from poor families. Most such families had a history of using community hand pumps for water,” he added.

“The impact of electromagnetic waves from cell-phone towers, presence of lead in drinking water sources, non-judicious medication by expecting mothers and environmental pollution could also lead to blindness,” Bhojpur Civil Surgeon Dr K.K. Labh said.

Arsenic is an odourless and tasteless semi-metal element which occurs naturally in the environment.