Arsenic contamination in groundwater and consequent human suffering in West Bengal, India was first reported in December 1983 when 63 arsenic patients from 3 villages were identified. At present 3000 villages are arsenic affected. The area and population of these 9 arsenic affected districts of West Bengal are 38865 sq.km and 42.7 million respectively. More than 37% of our population in nine districts of West Bengal are using arsenic contaminated water. As a result, millions of people have already been affected. Arsenic toxicity which initially affects skin also damages lungs, kidney, liver, bladder and many other important organs of human body. Many people of West Bengal died from cancer liver, cancer bladder, cancer lung due to chronic arsenicosis.

Arsenic-related cancer deaths in Murshidabad, West Bengal number in thousands due to the screeching high level of arsenic in drinking water (50-100 times more than WHO permissible level). For the last seven years with the help of Ramakrishna Mission of Sargachi and the Aqua Welfare Society, we have distributed specialized domestic filters to highly affected poor families and constructed special dug wells to provide arsenic-safe drinking water in the village communities in North 24 Parganas, West Bengal.

Here is a short video made by Dr. Sampa Pal on one of her site visits to Jalangi village on arsenic poisoning leading to lesions and cancer related death.