The people of Kaalapani, a remote, tribal village, have been drawing water from wells and hand pumps for years. But the water that they drink and cook with is heavily contaminated with dangerous levels of fluoride. Too much fluoride can lead to fluorosis – a disease that attacks teeth and bones and can cause crippling pain.
The people in the village couldn’t believe that the water they’d been drinking for so many years was at fault and were overjoyed to learn that their new water supply meant that they could live free from pain and disease.
“Ever since I remember, unknowingly we had been mostly using the fluoride contaminated hand pump and tube well water. I used to think that because of my busy work schedule I feel pain in my joints and some times in the stomach as well. My son would also fall sick quite often. But now I know that it was because of the water that we had been consuming. I am happy that I have come to know about it. Now I can protect myself and my son from waterborne problems by consuming safe drinking water which has been provided to us through this programme”.
Sakku Bai, Kalapaani village, India.
