Gujarat villagers face groundwater pollution

Boria-Kharad (Gujarat), June 20 (ANI): High chemical content in groundwater has become a serious health hazard for the villagers of Boria-Kharad in Gujarat.

For the past fifteen years, the villagers of Boria-Kharad have been complaining of receiving red coloured water, indicating the presence of chemicals in the water.

The villagers said that the problems of groundwater pollution started with the reverse bore well set up by the nearby chemical factories decades ago. Though the chemical factories are not in existence any more but the dumped chemical waste has mixed with the groundwater, thus polluting it.

"In all the 15-20 bore wells, red coloured water comes out and the chemical content in the water is so high that forget humans even animals can't drink it. The usage of the water has also caused many skin problems among villagers," said Mahendra Patel, a villager.

The villagers allege that the usage of the water has hampered the growth of their children and their animals have become infertile.

Mahendra Patel further said that the officials of Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCP) have visited the village to take samples of ground water but so far nothing has been done to clean it.

Consequently, the problem is now forcing the villagers to migrate to nearby villages. (ANI)