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Poor quality drinking water major cause of water-borne
New Delhi, June 28: Poor quality of drinking water was a major cause of growing number of people affected by water-borne diseases including jaundice, typhoid and diarrhoea, a top government official said today.
New Delhi, June 28: Poor quality of drinking water was a major cause of growing number of people affected by water-borne diseases including jaundice, typhoid and diarrhoea, a top government official said today.
"Diarrhoea, jaundice and typhoid which are major killers around the world are caused due to poor quality of water. Many children in the developing countries also have retarded growth due to this," director general health services Dr S P Agrawal said.
"About 86 per cent of the total diseases in the country are directly or indirectly related to the poor quality of water," Agrawal said at the launch of 'Sulabh wash campaign'.
The launch, aimed at spreading awareness about the benefits of proper wash, was organised by an NGO - 'Sulabh International' in collaboration with Swiss-based 'Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council' (WSSCC).
On the amount of water available for drinking, Agrawal said only 2.5 per cent of total water on the earth is potable and due to industrial and domestic pollution only about one per cent of water is left which is fit for drinking, he said.
Inequitable distribution of water also worsens the problem as some people enjoy free access to water while others don't have access to even safe drinking water, he said.
Speaking on the occasion, executive director WSSCC Gaurishankar Ghosh said children were the most affected as their growth gets hampered due to poor quality of water.
"In the past 10 years, diarrhoea has killed more children than all the people who lost their lives due to armed conflict since World War II," he added.
Bureau Report
"About 86 per cent of the total diseases in the country are directly or indirectly related to the poor quality of water," Agrawal said at the launch of 'Sulabh wash campaign'.
The launch, aimed at spreading awareness about the benefits of proper wash, was organised by an NGO - 'Sulabh International' in collaboration with Swiss-based 'Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council' (WSSCC).
On the amount of water available for drinking, Agrawal said only 2.5 per cent of total water on the earth is potable and due to industrial and domestic pollution only about one per cent of water is left which is fit for drinking, he said.
Inequitable distribution of water also worsens the problem as some people enjoy free access to water while others don't have access to even safe drinking water, he said.
Speaking on the occasion, executive director WSSCC Gaurishankar Ghosh said children were the most affected as their growth gets hampered due to poor quality of water.
"In the past 10 years, diarrhoea has killed more children than all the people who lost their lives due to armed conflict since World War II," he added.
Bureau Report