Children - Terre des Hommes

144
exposed to the toxicity from the mine tailings that get mixed
in these water bodies.
Contaminated drinking water in mine workers’ colonies, Sundergarh
(Photo November 2009)
the company and the mine tailings were dumped into the
river converting into a highly polluted water body unfit for
consumption. It was evident that the water in the entire region
is contaminated and consists of heavy metals and dust, as a
result of overdrawing of water and dumping of mine waste.
The sponge iron factories have dug up bore-wells creating
serious groundwater depletion. The 49 sponge iron factories
with each having 15–20 deep bore-wells having a depth of
about 800 ft from the ground level is more than a cause for
alarm for the people of this region.
The area has been witnessing serious health problems related
to waterborne diseases due to the contamination of water.
Problems like filaria, hydrocele and gynaecological problems
were reported by the local leaders as well as by the women
interviewed. Serious occupational health hazards were
reported around the cement factories in Rajgangpur. In the
summer months and for many parts of the year, severe water
shortage is experienced due to low groundwater levels. It is
mainly the girl children who accompany their mothers for
collection of water, which is contaminated. They are constantly
Water crisis! Water contains mine tailings and is unfit for human or animal
consumption, Sundergarh (Photo November 2009)
In Brahmanimara village which is the worst affected by
mining, around 810 households mainly belonging to ST
families, face a severe problem of drinking water as well as
water for irrigation. As the mining activities have depleted the
groundwater, the water that is pumped up for drinking has
high levels of limestone and dust but the villagers are forced
to consume this water, having no other option. The farmers
stated that the land productivity has gone down drastically
due to lack of adequate water and therefore, more and more
families have to migrate seasonally.
Only in Mundatolli the study team was told that the BSL
company provides medical aid and benefits and provides
drinking water to both workers and the community.
The Junior Engineer of the Public Health Department shared
that, of the 11 wards in Birmitrapur municipality, drinking
water is supplied to 7–9 wards after treatment at the BSL
water reserve, but he confessed that it may not be completely
free from pollutants and that not all the affected villages have
access to this water. He further informed that there are 181
tubewells whose approximate depth was 200 ft but as the
mining companies were exploiting the water resources right
down to 400 ft, this has led to water crisis and therefore, the
companies are being denied permission to do mining.
Health Condition of Children and
Community
Common health problems related to children were stated to
be malaria, filariasis, TB and gastroenteritis. Most of their
health problems are connected to the highly contaminated
water because of which gastroenteritis, jaundice and diarrhoea
are commonly suffered by the children. Diabetes is also highly
prevalent in this area. As the stagnant water from the mine sites
and the mining dumps are breeding grounds for mosquitoes,
the children are living in poor sanitary conditions. They are
suffering from malnutrition and malaria which affects them
cyclically making them anaemic and more susceptible to
illnesses. The anganwadi workers claimed that some children
have TB. A serious health problem among the children here
is filariasis as stated by Fr. Nicholas Barla of GAFSCA. A
survey conducted by them in the year 2006 in Purna Panni
village, showed that there were 40 cases of filariasis in this
village alone, and among them, 10–12 were children. The