(This event review is sponsored by Vakili & Associates)

Water is the most essential element of human life and groundwater has been traditionally viewed as readily available source of drinking water. Recently the idea of ground water as source of clean and drinkable water has faced a serious challenge with detection of various contaminants that are harmful. Arsenic, one of the contaminants, has posed a problem not only in South Asia but also in several locations in New England. Arsenic is toxic to human body and long term exposure can lead to cancer of skin, lungs, urinary bladder, kidneys, etc.

The Boston Pledge (TBP) organized the conference ‘An Emerging Global Crisis: Arsenic in Drinking Water’ at The Wong Auditorium, MI T, Cambridge on December 20th 2003. The conference brought together resources from academia, industry, NGOs, government bodies and common people to find a sustainable solution to arsenic crisis.

A panel of experts spoke on various facets of the problem. Sean Stang-Osborne spoke on ‘The Arsenic Removal Program in India’ and Dr. Joseph Graziano presented on ‘The Columbia program on Health Effects and Geochemistry of Arsenic and Lead”. “Educate people not to drink water from contaminated wells,” said Dr. Ashish Basu, discussing ‘Distribution of Natural Arsenic in Bengal Basin’. Dr. John Greenleaf touched upon ‘A simple to Operate Local Solution to Arsenic Crisis in the Indian Sub-Continent”. Other topics covered were ‘Using Ground Water from Shallow Aquifers and Dug Wells’ and ‘Arsenic Implementation in New Hampshire’ by Dr. Timir Hore and Mr. Benard D. Lucey.

Issues ranging from genesis of the arsenic problem to providing viable solutions were addressed. Entrepreneurial, social and economical models were discussed. The panel agreed that educating people about arsenic contamination in affected areas, raising funds to develop and install technologies are immediate needs.

Healthcare Second Opinion Project, Kalighat Project and LEAD Project were the other projects of TBP presented by Dr. Anjan Chaudhary, Mr. Mridhul Pathak/Dr. Sujit Kumar and Ms. Sumita Basu respectively. The conference concluded by closing remarks by Mr. Partha Ghosh, acknowledgements by Ms. Nilanjana Rakhit and musical finale by Dr. Gopa Kumar and Ms. Swapna Ray

The Boston pledge(TBP) started about two years ago, with Mr. Partho Ghosh as its chairperson with a goal to help fight arsenic problem in South Asia. The arsenic remedial team of TBP is comprised of Dr. Anupam Sanyal, Dr. Ashish Basu and Dr. Somanath Basu. The group’s mission has since expanded to develop a process through which people from privileged regions can engaged with the issues of socio economic development in the undernourished areas of the world. The team seeks monetary support, gifts, time commitment, and participation in projects and assistance in fundraising and recruiting members. Information about The Boston Pledge can be found at http://www.thebostonpledge.org.

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