Widely referred to as the 'Arsenic Man from Bengal' for his blunt observations in the face of denial by state governments, this epidemiologist and internationally recognized annalist of the problem across Asia has a penchant for courting debates with a series of ground-breaking reports. His compassion for the arsenic affected people, his unabated work and personal support, has however, endeared him to villagers affected by arsenocosis in India, Bangladesh and elsewhere in Asia.
At the School of Environmental Studies (SOES), perhaps the most verdant and well-maintained area of Jadavpur University, Dr. Chakraborti puts in an 80 hour week.
In an interview with Sangeeta Deogawanka, Dr Chakraborti speaks about his lifelong mission that first grabbed attention after the landmark article "The Water of Death" in 'The Guardian' in1996, following his research publications in 'The Analyst' in 1994 and 1995.
SD: When did you first realize that there was a problem of groundwater arsenic contamination?
DC: I had been working on arsenic problems in US and other Western countries for many years, although as a scientific study. At that time, there were the occasional reports in newspapers about villagers suffering from a disease with symptoms of arsenocosis. It was only during a visit to Calcutta in 1988, that curiosity took me to Nadia district in West Bengal. As I visited several villages, I realised this was a serious problem of groundwater arsenic toxicity that these villagers were suffering from.
Arsenocosis affected patient (Diffused and spotted Keraros on hands)
Image copyright, SOES, Jadhavpur University
SD: What made you realize this was not a one-off, but typical of a widespread issue?
DC: I saw the condition of villagers who had consumed arsenic contaminated water for years. It was the same for Karimpur and other neigbouring villages. Many suffered from cancer and symptoms of chronic arsenocosis – they were poor villagers who did not even know what they were suffering from. I was terribly moved and decided to stay back in my country. It resolved an inner conflict which was troubling me for years - shall I be giving all my energy and inputs to the western countries?
SD: How did you take up things from there?
DC: I joined Jadavpur University as Director of the School of Environmental Studies, in 1988 itself. First, I put a couple of students to work, compiling reports from West Bengal, published in newspapers from 1982 tpo 1988 . The work has continued till date, with the largest archived record of arsenic cases in our possession. I was supported in my endeavours by Professor K.C. Saha, then Head of the School of Tropical Medicine at Calcutta.
Next in 1995, I organized an international 'arsenic conference'. Foreign and Indian media closely followed our convoy of cars, as we went on our field visit to the affected Ramgarh area of Baruipur, 24 Parganas (S) in Bengal. As the media poured in to the conference, the cat was out of the bag ! The arsenic problem HAD to be acknowledged.
The dug well is recharged with rooftop rainwater at the model village adopted by SOESJU
Image copyright, SOES, Jadhavpur University
SD: What is the current situation in India?
DC: In the last 20 years, we have discovered further ground water arsenic contamination and people suffering from symptoms of arsenocosis in Bihar, UP, Jharkhand, Assam and Manipur. It is still bad in West Bengal, where each visit brings to my attention 3- 4 more affected villages.. The problem is acute poverty and lack of awareness. Despite crores of rupees of funding, spending on its mitigation has not been effective or realistic, whether in UP, Bengal or elsewhere.
SD: What is your prognosis?
DC: Besides other areas in the Ganga-Meghna-Brahmaputra river basin, there will be more reports from the North-Eastern States, which were formed at a late phase of Himalaya orogeny, Although the magnitude maybe lesser. Hazipur Vitta village in Jharkhand and Benaras in UP, the recent areas of discovery reveal that the problem is widespread.
SD: The Ganga plains are regions with high rainfall. Do you think rainwater harvesting will help bring relief? How can this be combined with other efforts?
DC: Rainwater harvesting is just one solution. We have water in these areas, but dearth of effective management. Despite water bodies being close by, instead of these being harnessed, groundwater is being tapped.
What is required is an overall watershed management together with water regulations, policy changes and awareness, for the same solutions are not applicable everywhere.
SD: How feasible are arsenic removal plants?
DC: They can be very effective with good management and people's participation, chiefly by involving the villagers. Like the one managed by B.E. College, Shibpur, being run as a co-operative. Unfortunately, whether in Bengal, Bihar or UP, the scene is more or less the same, with crores worth of such plants lying defunct.
SD: How far have you been able to map the problem?
DC: I have done nothing, I feel. It's an uphill task I am fighting, for both creating awareness and mitigation. Negligence of national and international agencies is what troubles me most.
Groundwater is recharged through this pond at the model village adopted by SOESJU
Image copyright, SOES, Jadhavpur University
SD: To what extent to do laboratory testing methods feature in your overall testing programmes ?
DC: My institute has a very well-equipped laboratory, where all testing is undertaken. Total arsenic determination is done using Flow Injection Hydride Generation Atomic Absorbtion Spectrophotometer (FI-HG-AAS).
SD: Given a choice, would you opt for field testing or lab testing?
DC: Obviously field testing, if the field test kit is guaranteed to work! I believe in sampling kits, provided I am doing the test myself. However, there are various logistical problems involved in the same, resulting in errors. So, Lab testing is more reliable.
SD: What is your current POA to mitigate this cumulative problem of arsenic toxicity in water ?
DC: Please have a look at our website http://www.soesju.org/ , visit the laboratory and watch our films to see what we are doing.
SD: Why have you opted to make the SOES an autonomously run institution?
DC: Accepting funding, means that I am limited in my freedom to publish papers. So I turned this into a self-funded institution that earns money from its own research, journals and library material. Besides laboratory testing, we also offer consultancy services and set up laboratories. We have even charged 'National Geographic' for our services. Thus, not only are we able to fund our research, we are also supporting the cause of many affected villages and patients.
SD: Your institute has adopted a model village in Nadia district, supporting many families and analysing water samples free of cost.
DC: You ought to visit some of these arsenic affected villages to understand the depth of the situation. In a state with a boon in water resources, a village girl commits suicide because her tube-well has been marked red, unfit for consumption, and the neighbours do not co-operate. We try to do our best - we have an arsenic-affected boy working with us today as a research student, whom we have supported throughout his education.
SD: In an era where cut-throat competition and self-gains have become the order of the day, your practice of donating your award moneys and salary to your research cause stands out as an example. Any comments and experiences that you would like to share?
DC: Our institute is like a family working to alleviate the problems, where you will find my students working in the laboratory through the night, and helping out at our model village. Alongside our research and work, we continue to spend on the affected families to help them live their lives normally.
I have sent letters, with reports and copies of films we made to various departments, but my letters were rarely acknowledged. Even after this nonchalance of the Government agencies, do you think I should still work against arsenic contamination?
Yet, I am so happy doing this. It gives me a sense of achievement each month when we dispatch money from our funds to many affected villagers and to our ashram.
Dr. Dipankar Chakraborti
Director, School of Environmental Studies (SOES)
Jadavpur University, Kolkata.
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