Balasore, Aug. 9: The departments of rural water supply and sanitation (RWSS) and health have swung into action after getting reports of excessive fluoride content in tubewell water in Jayrampur village under Bhograi block of north Balasore. As many as 17 people are reportedly suffering from fluorosis after consuming groundwater here.

A report of the Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (IMMT), Bhubaneswar, says around 200 tubewells in the village have been found to be containing high levels of fluoride, which is unfit for human consumption. The report was corroborated by the RWSS laboratory.

“A medical team from the district headquarters town will visit the affected village of Bhograi block and submit a report. They will counsel the inhabitants not to use the water of the tubewells, which has been declared unfit for human consumption by the RWSS department. The team would also suggest treatment for them,” said chief district medical officer Iqbal Ahmed.

The matter came to light after Sitansu Mishra, a villager, complained of chronic pain in the joints and abdomen after drinking tubewell water. “I have been suffering from various ailments for the past few years. There was no relief despite medication. Finally, doctors in Bhubaneswar suspected fluorosis and advised testing of the tubewell water,” Mishra said.

When the water was tested at IMMT, the fluoride content was found to be around 5.18mg per litre against the ideal limit of 1 to 1.9mg per litre, said Tarangini, sister of Sitanshu. “After getting the report, I immediately brought the matter to the notice of local elected representatives and other departments concerned,” she said.

Jayrampur village is divided into 14 wards with a total population of around 5,000. The villagers themselves had dug the tubewells.

“We put a cross mark on around 100 tubewells of the village yesterday and asked the villagers to avoid using the tubewells for drinking and cooking purposes. We will mark another 100 by Tuesday,” said Narayan Prasad Gandhi, sub-divisional officer of RWSS, Jaleswar.

He said the tubewell water contained fluoride of over 3mg per litre. “However, people can use groundwater for activities such as bathing and washing clothes,” he said.

Rajib Panigrahi, RWSS executive engineer in-charge, said the excess fluoride content was detected in tubewells dug between 60 and 200 feet in Jayrampur village.