(a) whether the Government are aware that the number of cases of flurosis are rapidly increasing in all the Metropolitan cities of the country;
(b) if so, the number of such persons identified;
(c) whether the Union Government have provided any financial assistance to the States for checking the spread of this disease; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI SHATRUGHAN SINHA)
(a) to (d) : A statement is laid on the table of the Lok Sabha.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.346 FOR ANSWER ON 07.08.2002
As per information, there is no specific estimate of the number of cases of fluorosis in the country including metropolitan cities. However, based on the fluorine content of the drinking water, fluorosis is a problem in 19 States covering 196 districts in the country.
Fluorosis can only be combated by provision of safe drinking water. Provision of safe drinking water is a State subject. However, Government of India supplements the efforts of the State Governments/Union Territories by providing funds under the Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme (ARWSP) and Prime Minister`s Gramodaya Yojana (PMGY) - Rural Drinking Water for tackling quality related problems and sustainability issues in respect of rural drinking water supply. Rajiv Gandhi Drinking Water Mission (RGDWM) is involved in collecting data on fluorosis endemicity in the States. Along with RGDWM, UNICEF has supplied ion-meters to different States for estimation of fluoride in drinking water. National Institute of Communicable Diseases is providing training to Public Health Engineers and medical professionals to generate awareness about fluorosis and check the spread of fluorosis in the country.