FATE OF THREE CRORE RUPEE ARSENIC
REMOVAL PLANTS IN MURSHIDABAD
DIPANKAR CHAKRABORTI
Director and Head
SCHOOL OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
JADAVPUR UNIVERSITY
Kolkata - 700 032
Tel: 91 33 4735233, Fax: 91 33 4734266
Email: [email protected]
In village predominant India and Bangladesh even a highly
successful technology may not succeed in rural areas unless there
is a honest will of the politicians, it fits the rural circumstances
and is well accepted by the rural mass. Development of such
technology is only possible when a combination is made between
bureaucrats, technocrats and villagers with proper village level
participation.
The West Bengal Government has cleared the formalities & intends to spend almost Rs.3 crore
to set up 573 arsenic removal plants in Murshidabad district alone, out of 9 arsenic affected
districts of West Bengal, India. The work has been entrusted to Pal Trockner Company. The
arsenic removal plant is manufactured by Pal Trockner (P) Ltd. in association with
HARBAUER GmbH, Berlin, Germany. Between December 2000 and May 2001, forty nine
such plants have been set up in Domkal , one out of the 26 blocks in Murshidabad.
During last 4 months (February-May, 2001) School of Environmental Studies, Jadavpur
University, Calcutta, evaluated the performance and efficacy of these 49 plants installed in the
villages of Domkol Block. The following conclusions have been reached after examining the
plants over the last 4 months:
1. Nearly 80% of the plants time to time remain non-functional. Villagers are often
unable to use them owing to mechanical defects. Problems they face include injuries
caused by tubewell handles leaping up suddenly when depressed; water being sprayed
from top of the tube-well when the handle is pressed down; the valve at the mouth of
the tubewell getting jammed; the plants producing yellow-colored water. In some
plants, the clean water produced is being consumed by cattle along with human beings.
Instances are there where villagers are using plant water for washing their hands and
feet and even for bathing. Objections elicit the reply, " The water is from government
and for all, not anyone's private property."
2. Villagers allege that personnel entrusted with repairing and backwashing of the plants
by Pal Trockner are irregular in attending to their duties. 8-10 plants are exceptions,
e.g., the Domkal thana plant, the BDO office plant, the hospital plant, etc.
3. The arsenic removal plants are linked to 49 hand tube-wells. Of these, 34 have been
found operational at different times, and have had samples collected from them. 15%
of these tube-wells where arsenic removal plants have been connected show hardly
any arsenic in their water. In 26%, the water has arsenic content below the tolerable
level as fixed by the Government of India (50 microgram/litre). In a further 15%, the
arsenic content is slightly above this level (67-72 microgram/litre). The arsenic level in
the remaining 44% justifies the setting up of arsenic removal plants.
4. Our survey reveals that villages requiring immediate setting up of such plants have
been excluded, whereas many villages have had plants set up in spite of not needing
them.
5. At present, each plant costs Rs.52560/- to set up. Roughly 18 months later, 2 columns
of each plant need to be replaced to ensure arsenic removal. The replacement costs
around Rs.20,000/-. Further, periodical laboratory tests seem necessary to ascertain
whether or not a plant is successfully removing arsenic.
At 2 p.m. on Tuesday, 19th December,
2000, Shree Nandagopal Bhattacharya,
Honourable Minister of Water Resources
Development, and Shree Anisur Rahman,
Honourable Minister of Animal Resources
Development formally inaugurated an
arsenic-removal plant at Rajapur village in
Domkal (Figure-1).
Since then, up to May 2001, Domkal block
alone has had almost 50 such plants set up
by Pal Trockener. Its director, Mr. Pal,
informs us that the company has approval
for installing 573 such plants in all of
Murshidabad. The approval figures for all
arsenic-affected areas of West Bengal
exceed 800. The company has installed
many such plants in Bangladesh as well.
Description of Pal Trockener Plants in Murshidabad
A. Cost of each plant : Rs. 52560/B. Assuming 1000 microgram of arsenic per litre in tubewell water, a plant can remove
arsenic from up to 4 lakh litres. Replacement of the plant's 2 columns at a cost of
Rs.20000/- will make the plant functional again.
C. Of the 2 columns, the first removes iron, the second arsenic.
D. To ensure supply of arsenic-free water, periodic backwashing of the plant is essential.
Yellow liquid coming out of the plant indicates need of immediate cleaning.
E. Figure-2 shows the Flow-Sheet diagram of Pal-Trockener technology.
(Information from Mr. Pal of Pal-Trockener)
A report follows on the 49 arsenic-removal plants in Domkal block on the basis of
investigations made over the last 4 months by the School of Environmental Studies, Jadavpur
University.
From Domkal Block, 3246 water samples were analyzed for arsenic by us from 13 Gram
Panchayats. In 70% of the cases the arsenic level exceeds that fixed by the WHO (10
microgram/litre). In 35%, the level exceeds 50 microgram/litre (maximum permissible limit).
Primary investigations have revealed 1168 patients (names, addresses and details of arsenical
skin lesions in the body registered). A complete investigation will push up this figure
considerably. Villagers, who have requested the Government to ensure supply of arsenic-free
water for many years, are delighted at plants being set up. Villagers imagined that operation of
these treatment plants would be similar to hand-operated tubewells, which the villagers have
used for the last 40 years. However, there are problems.
Arsenic Removal and Problems Associated with It
The treatment plants installed are of Pal Trockner but the hand tube-wells with which these are
assembled are either of villagers or from Gram Panchayet. It has been noticed that this
combination in many cases are not matching properly and caused problems. These problems
are:
1. Washers are frequently damaged. The packing used in the tubewells do not work properly
either. The valve fitted to the mouth of the tubewells, which ensures arsenic-free water
when closed, and water with arsenic for purposes other than drinking when open, is
jammed in many cases due to mechanical defect. Thus villagers are forced to use costly
arsenic-contamination free water for their house hold purposes.
2. Mechanical defects cause the handle of the tubewells to spring up suddenly when
depressed. In Ghoramara Gram Panchayat, the Harurpara plant has given 2 stitches on the
forehead of Safura Bibi. Amina Bibi too has a cracked forehead.
3. Pal- Trockener has appointed some mechanics to maintain the plants. Villagers report that
these mechanics come irregularly. 80% of the treatment plants in Domkol become
inoperative periodically. Only 20% of the plants are problem-free after installation. The
plant at Bhanwarlal Crossing under Azimgunge Gram Panchayat has been inoperative so
frequently that villagers have removed it to the mosque nearby. (21.5.2001).
4. In front of Comrade Jalil Mandal's house in Aminabad village under Juginda Gram
Panchayat there is a plant. Sahidul Biswas, a local resident says, "The plant has been
installed some 2 months ago. No mechanic has attended to it since then." Under the same
Panchayat, in Madhupur village, there is another plant. The pipe of the hand tubewell leaks.
Villagers some how managed it with a bicycle pipe. The mechanic, when informed, said he
did not have a proper pipe to replace the leaking one.
5. Malek Mandal of Chanderpara under Raipur Gram Panchayat says that their plant was
installed around 2 months ago, and has already broken down 10-12 times. Villagers do
patchwork repairs, as the mechanic, even when informed, does not come regularly. In
addition, Malek Mandal reported, if the mechanic makes one visit, he makes the villagers
certify to his having made three such visits, as his salary depends on the number of visits
certified by the villagers. The plant in central Garibpur village of Garibpur Gram Panchayat
was set up 3 months ago and broke down within 10 days. No mechanic could repair it (265-2001).
6. The plant in front of Abdul Khalek's house in Mominpur village of Ghoramara Gram
Panchayat has a broken pipe which connects hand tube-well with treatment plant, and no
mechanic has come to repair it up to 29-5-2001.
7. If not periodically cleaned, the plants yield yellow water and villagers do not use it. Out of
49-treatment plant installed this is something true of all except 8-10 of the plants.
8. As the villagers do not have to pay for the water obtained from these plants, they
sometimes use it for bathing, washing clothes, and for providing water for cattle. If some
villagers object, they are told, "This is Government water, not someone's private property."
A report on the arsenic content in the tubewells linked to arsenic-removal plants
in Domkal block of Murshidabad district.
One expects plants to be attached to those tubewells, the water from which contains arsenic
well above the highest tolerable limit, and which villagers use to obtain drinking water from.
One also expects plants to be set up in villages where many are affected by arsenic-related
diseases.
In Domkal block, out of 49 plants installed we found 34 plants operational (not continuous) in
the last 4 months. We have collected water samples from these 34 plants both before and after
purification and have analyzed both arsenic and iron.
Table-1 specifies the panchayats and the location in Domkal block where the plants have been
set up. It also specifies the arsenic level in the tubewells both before and after passing through
the arsenic removal plants.
Table-1: Arsenic concentration (microgram/ litre) before and after treatment plant of
Domkal Block in Murshidabad, West Bengal-India
Sl No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Gram
Panchayet
Ajimganj
Ajimganj
Ajimganj
Ajimganj
Garaimari
Ajimganj
Ajimganj
Juginda
Raipur
Garibpur
Raipur
Madhurkul
Garaimari
Garibpur
Bhagirathpur
Raipur
Juginda
Identification Mark
Near Barnali Studio, Domkal Bazar
Domkal Thana
Near Bimala Xerox, Domkal
Inside Domkal Hospital
Suchitra Biswas, Srikrishnapur Hazrapara
Near Nerakundu House
Bablu Chowdhury, Domkal Shitla More
Mojammel Sekh, Madhupur
Shitalnagar Primary School
Madhya Garibpur Primary School
Surman Ali, Khiderpara
Muraripur Primary School
Srikrishnapur Kalitalapara, Near Mosque
Patdeyar H.K.S. Vidyapith
Bhagirathpur High School
Malek Mondol,Chanderpara
Bakkar Ali Mandal,Madhupur
Concentration Concentration
of Arsenic in
of Arsenic
after Treatment
Tubewell
Plant (µg/l)
Water (µg/l)
<3
<3
<3
<3
<3
9
18
20
31
33
40
45
47
48
67
68
69
<3
<3
<3
<3
<3
<3
<3
<3
<3
<3
<3
<3
<3
<3
<3
22
<3
Continued Table-1
Sl No
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
Gram
Panchayet
Juginda
Raipur
Garaimari
Raipur
Garaimari
Garaimari
Juginda
Juginda
Garaimari
Juginda
Bhagirathpur
Garaimari
Raipur
Ghoramara
Garaimari
Ghoramara
Juginda
Identification Mark
Abu Taher Sk, Hasanpur
Mohsin Mandal, Kupila Daspara
Lokman Shah
Near Gramin Bank, Katakopra
Samsul Mollah, Srikrishnapur Billpara
Mainuddin Mondal, Rajapur
Nikhil Chakraborti,Juginda Biswaspara
Aminabad Biswaspara
Garaimari Primary School
Piprapuri Daspara
Saidul Sk, Kalupur
Matiur Rahman, Aminabad
Hazi Mohammad, Katakopra
Nazimuddin Biswas, Harurpara
Jahangir Hossain, Rajapur
Mafidul Islam, Harurpara
Jakir Ali Mandal,Dakshinnagar Shawpara
Concentration Concentration
of Arsenic in
of Arsenic
Tubewell
after Treatment
Water (µg/l)
Plant (µg/l)
72
72
90
106
109
115
129
135
159
165
175
183
198
250
278
278
432
<3
<3
<3
18
<3
<3
<3
<3
111
47
<3
18
18
45
<3
<3
<3
Surprisingly, Table-1 shows that out of 34 plants, in 5 (15%), the related tubewells have hardly
any arsenic, the content being less than 3 microgram/litre, well below the WHO level of 10
microgram/litre, and the Government of India level of 50 microgram/litre. (Table-1, serial no.1
to 5).
In 9 more plants (26%), the arsenic level is below the maximum tolerance level set by the
Govt. of India. (Table-1, serial no. 6 to 14).
In 5 (15%) more plants (Table-1, serial.no.15 to 19), the arsenic level is slightly above that
fixed by the Govt. of India, being 67-72 microgram/litre. 15 plants out of 34 (44%) have been
linked with contaminated tubewells (Table-1, serial no. 20 to 34).
How effective these plants are in removing arsenic
Out of the 34 plants in Domkal that we have been able to collect samples from, according to
Table-1, in 5 of them the arsenic level is very low (less than 3 microgram/litre), and in 9 the
level is below that approved as tolerable by the Govt. of India (50 microgram/litre). Among the
remaining 20, the plants have reduced arsenic from 13 contaminated tubewells to a level of
below 3 microgram/litre. The removal is above the WHO-recommended level, and below the
Govt. of India's level in 6 cases. The only non-functional plant (Table-1, serial no. 25) is in
Garaimari village, at the Free Primary School. The plants are, therefore, suitable for arsenic
removal, but are not functioning properly owing to associated problems.
How successful these plants are in removing iron
According to the Director and the Manager of Pal-Trockener, the first column of these plants is
meant for iron removal. Table-2 shows the degree of success in iron removal. According to the
WHO, iron content must not exceed 300 microgram/litre in drinking water.
Table-2: Iron concentration (mocrogram/litre) before and after treatment plant of
Domkal Block in Murshidabad District, West Bengal-India
Sl
No
Gram
Panchayet
Identification Mark
Concentration
of Iron in
Tubewell
Water (µg/l)
Concentration
of Iron after
Treatment
Plant (µg/l)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
Ajimganj
Ajimganj
Ajimganj
Ajimganj
Garaimari
Ajimganj
Ajimganj
Juginda
Raipur
Garibpur
Raipur
Madhurkul
Garaimari
Garibpur
Bhagirathpur
Raipur
Juginda
Juginda
Raipur
Garaimari
Raipur
Garaimari
Garaimari
Juginda
Juginda
Garaimari
Juginda
Bhagirathpur
Near Barnali Studio, Domkal Bazar
Domkal Thana
Near Bimala Xerox, Domkal
Inside Domkal Hospital
Suchitra Biswas, Srikrishnapur Hazrapara
Near Nerakundu House
Bablu Chowdhury, Domkal Shitla More
Mojammel Sekh, Madhupur
Shitalnagar Primary School
Madhya Garibpur Primary School
Surman Ali, Khiderpara
Muraripur Primary School
Srikrishnapur Kalitalapara, Near Mosque
Patdeyar H.K.S. Vidyapith
Bhagirathpur High School
Malek Mondol,Chanderpara
Bakkar Ali Mandal,Madhupur
Abu Taher Sk, Hasanpur
Mohsin Mandal, Kupila Daspara
Lokman Shah
Near Gramin Bank, Katakopra
Samsul Mollah, Srikrishnapur Billpara
Mainuddin Mondal, Rajapur
Nikhil Chakraborti,Juginda Biswaspara
Aminabad Biswaspara
Garaimari Primary School
Piprapuri Daspara
Saidul Sk, Kalupur
2177
1729
1864
1090
1000
5926
1478
3915
2375
1551
1583
5530
1375
4406
3291
3442
2050
1645
4469
2885
6895
1771
4249
2281
1979
4843
1624
2052
625
396
1042
708
209
541
999
427
562
604
1415
1147
697
604
500
1687
854
646
634
625
343
368
282
2229
385
4562
583
812
29
30
31
32
33
34
Garaimari
Raipur
Ghoramara
Garaimari
Ghoramara
Juginda
Matiur Rahman, Aminabad
Hazi Mohammad, Katakopra
Nazimuddin Biswas, Harurpara
Jahangir Hossain, Rajapur
Mafidul Islam, Harurpara
Jakir Ali Mandal,Dakshinnagar Shawpara
2749
14156
2927
3447
6604
7965
2447
5697
342
198
5635
3614
Table-2 shows that out of 34 plants, only 3 (8.8%) have succeeded in reducing the iron content
below the WHO-recommended level. The plants have failed to remove iron in 91.2% of the
cases in Domkal.
Replacement of Plant Columns and the Expense Involved
According to Pal-Trockener, if the tubewell water contains 1000 microgram/litre, then,
after arsenic removal from about 4 lakh litres, the 2 columns must be replaced at an
expense of about Rs.20,000/-.
An estimate follows regarding the period of time after which the columns in the Domkal
arsenic removal plants will need replacement.
An average estimate obtained from villages shows that each of the plants is used by 300
people. Assuming that the water is used only for drinking, cooking, and other occasional
purposes, each person will use 12 litres daily. Thus, each day the plant will free 300 x 12
= 3600 litres of water of arsenic. Let us also assume that on an average, the water in each
plant contains 200 microgram/litre of arsenic before purification. So, after removal of
arsenic from 20 lakh litres of contaminated water, the columns must be replaced. This
condition will be reached in 18 months. Thus, after 18 months, each plant will require an
expenditure of about Rs.20,000/- for column replacement.
Duties of the Administration
According to Pal-Trockener, the local administration decides where a plant is to be installed.
After studying the 34 plants, it seems that detailed consideration was not given before
installation of treatment plants location wise. If it is not so then why 5 plants were installed at 5
places where the tubewells have hardly any arsenic? 9 more plants are in places where the
arsenic level is below the level set by the Govt. of India (Table-1). There is one plant each at
Domkal thana and hospital, yet the water in both places has hardly any arsenic.
We have examined the tubewell water in 13 Gram panchayats of Domkal. From the 63 samples
examined from Garibpur Gram Panchayat, 54 tubewells are seen to have arsenic content
which, according to Govt. of India standards, makes them safe. In only 8 tubewells the content
is little above the highest tolerable level, being between 50 and 65 microgram/litre. In only one
tubewell, the water has 109 microgram/litre arsenic. Yet, the Garibpur Gram Panchayat has
had six plants installed. While we were working in the area, 4 of these 6 treatment plants were
not functioning. In the remaining 2, arsenic content was 33 microgram/litre and 48
microgram/litre respectively. It seems that the plants were installed without ascertaining the
arsenic level in the water of Garibpur tube-wells. Again, in front of the Gramin Bank at
Katakopra bazar under Raipur Gram Panchayat there is a plant although the area has piped
water supply and the arsenic in the piped water is at a safe level. Yet, at Bagdanga-bagalpara
under Juranpur Gram Panchayat, where there are innumerable arsenic-affected patients, as
there are in Kushaberia village of the same Panchayat, no plant has been installed till May
2001.
Problems of the Pal-Trockener Plants and Solutions
1. The Pal Trockner plants are attached to existing tubewells. The attachment involves some
changes in the tubewells, such as fixing a valve at their mouth. When the valve is in close
position safe water is obtained and when in open position arsenic contaminated water is
obtained which villagers can use for purposes other than drinking and cooking. These
valves often get jammed, villagers cannot open them, and so they use arsenic
contamination free water for all house- hold purposes.
2. The packing at the head of the tubewells to facilitate flow of water to the plant from the
tubewell is often inadequate. Water erupts on pumping from the head of the tubewell as a
result. The pressure is so great that the tubewell-handle springs up. This is how Safura Bibi
and Amina Bibi injured their foreheads. Excessive use also damages the washer of the
tubewells frequently.
3. The iron-removal column in the plant needs to be backwashed periodically. If not, yellow
liquid emerges from the taps which the villagers do not wish to use. The mechanics
appointed for backwashing are irregular in their visits according to the villagers. Although
there is a chamber for collecting substances after backwashing, we never saw the chamber
used in any plant.
4. Table-2, detailing the plants iron-removal efforts, shows that this part of the plant
functions at best imperfectly, though this does not affect arsenic removal. It seems PalTrockener did not test their plants over a sufficient period of time in water having high
iron-content.
5. Water obtained from the plants after arsenic removal has been seen to contain iron and
some manganese. There is no indication as to how this affects the quality of the water.
6. Without testing the water, there is no way of ascertaining when the plant has become
unable to remove arsenic.
7. From a technological angle, the Pal-Trockener plant is quite suitable for arsenic removal
(not for iron). If the associated problems are solved, the plant can be used for arsenic
removal in affected villages if budget permits. This applies also to plants manufactured by
others for use in West Bengal. It appears to me associated problems are major, compared to
technological problem.
How to make the plants fully functional
1. There is no problem with the arsenic treatment plants at Domkal thana, the BDO's office
and the hospital. Maintenance personnel are regular in attending to their duty in these
places. But, villagers say, personnel are reluctant to attend to the village plants, particularly
in far-flung areas, and especially during hot summer and in the rainy season. Personnel
must be subjected to strict rules, including punishment for negligence.
2. Since independence, villagers have believed that the Government will look after water
supply, and that villagers themselves have no responsibilities in this matter. Even cattle
drink water from a Rs.52,000/- plant. Waste could have been prevented, treatment plants
could run smoothly by charging villagers only 20 paise per 10 litre of water. The resultant
monthly income of Rs.2160/- from each plant could have gone towards maintaining the
plant. Perhaps entrusting maintenance to some local club or the Panchayat, training
workers, and paying them would ensure better running of the plants.
3. After 14 years of work in West Bengal Villages, and 7 years in Bangladesh villages, it is
clear to me that any project can run only by involving villagers. Having discussions with
them, inviting their opinion, giving them responsibility, building committees from among
them, and, above all, involving their womenfolk will ensure the success of any project.