GULBARGA: Life in Gulbarga has become unbearable in the scorching summer heat and drinking water contaminated with fluoride. More than 322 villages in the district are supplied water with a high flouride content.

This is the only source of water for more than 25 per cent villages in the district. People are unaware of the serious deformities it can cause. The fluoride content is far above the permissible limit, and the water is not potable.

Around 72 villages in the Surpur taluk have the highest level of fluoride. Surprisingly no action has been taken to rectify the situation.

The district administration has announced that alternative water sources have been identified in 163 villages and that deflouradisation units have been installed in nine villages.

It has also announced a scheme to distribute home filters to residences. But so far no such scheme has reached the villages where the problem is acute. A well in Honnakiranagi, where the defluoradisation unit was installed went dry.

In Turanur Rs 170 was collected from each house to supply filters but it has not yet been delivered. The people say they have no other option but to drink the water knowing fully well that it causes deformities of limbs.

The Rajiv Gandhi Submission Project, Alternative Water Resources Project, Jalnirmal Yojana and other schemes announced by the government has remained merely on paper.

Meanwhile the people continue to suffer in silence.

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