Now who will initiate the Water Deal for MDG 4?

In general, the term 'water born disease' means, the disease occurs with the usage of impure water. In developing and under developed countries, four fifth of all infectious diseases occur due to impure drinking water.

Diarrhea is the major water borne disease, by which many children die in India every year. Typhoid, cholera, malaria and enteric fever are other major diseases, which are caused by impure water. 10 per cent of global diseases are due to water born diseases.

Each year 500,000 children in India die due to diarrhea. According to June 2003 report, today 85% of Indian economy is connected with water either in farming or in industries.

But the most important question is that the quality of water is not measured at all. In towns and cities people used to attach water filters in their houses, to have pure drinking and cooking water, but in poor suburbs and villages, people are still using tap water for drinking and cooking.

According to a report, only 30 per cent of industrial, chemical and house hold waster is processed before it goes into the rivers. By using such water, the public health and especially children are affected very badly. The report also mentions that India has done 50 per cent industrial growth by year 2001 to 2006 but the number of cases of diarrhea, cholera, and typhoid has remained same over the past decade.

Fluoride contamination is other important factor in water born diseases. 25 million people in 17 states of India are consuming water with high fluoride than its maximum permissible level. High level of fluoride can cause skeletal fluorosis. Chikungunya and dengue are other serious water born disease.

During 2006 chikungunya outbreak, around 1.39 million cases were reported in India and 3000 people had lost their lives in this outbreak. Many times in India drainage and water lines run parallel to each other, so some times during construction or monsoon season, this pipes leak and contaminated water mixes with pure water.

After monsoon, every year there are outbreaks of number of disease occur in different regions of India. Government publishes warnings to the people and suggests them to use boiled water in cooking and for drinking. According to the latest WHO report, due to global warming and climate change, there will be a change in rain pattern in India, and it may produce heat waves in the northern part of India.

It will bring some troubles to this part by increasing number of cases of water born disease, respiratory diseases and cardiac disease. They also mentioned that children and aged people will have high impact by this climate change.

Dr C V Raghuveer, dean of Kasturba Medical College reported that due to increased industrial activity, the water sources are contaminated and that leads water to be a major source of concern as it affectes a child's mental ability. According to July 2008 BMJ journal report, water borne diseases in India are underestimated and about 100 par 100,000 people are affected with contaminated water.

Only 33 per cent of India is covered with sanitation service according to 'water aid America' report. It's high time for India to improve sanitation service in villages and to supply pure and safe drinking water to people.

India needs to improve its basic infrastructure along with industrial and economical growth. And to fulfill Millennium Development Goal(MDG) number 4(reduce child mortality) on time, water purity should be considered VERY VERY seriously.

Thank you. Love India.