RANCHI: Fluorosis- hit residents of Pratappur village in Jharkhand’s Garhwa district, where almost all its inhabitants show signs of skeletal fluorosis and at least 60 people have died in the past year, can hope for some relief as the state government dispatched a team to expedite the laying of piped water to the village.

Skeletal fluorosis is a water-borne disease caused due to consumption of water laced with fluoride. Its level in Pratappur is 3.5 mg/litre much higher than the WHO norm of 1.5 mg/litre.

HT in its June 10 report titled ‘Death lurks in Jharkhand village crippled by Flurosis’ had highlighted the plight of Pratappur residents, whose bodies were getting crippled, bones brittle as they met painful, untimely deaths. This was the second time that Hindustan Times had taken up the cause, the first time being in 2011 when BJP’s Arjun Munda was in power.

A technical team travelled from Ranchi on Friday, surveyed the village and returned with their findings. The report would soon be submitted to the secretary.

“The government has approved a very big scheme to bring relief to the fluorosis-affected villagers in Pratappur and adjoining areas,” said Jharkhand’s drinking water and sanitation secretary AP Singh.

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