According to sources a constant headache, severe pain in the joints and discoloration of teeth. This is what almost every resident of Pavagada complains of high fluoride content in the ground water. Meanwhile it is still early in the summer but the scorching heat makes it nearly unbearable to walk outside in the mid-morning sun and the temperature has already touched 37 degrees.
As per latest report Pavagada is one of the taluks in the state that receives the least rainfall. With no river in the vicinity, people are forced to depend on bore well water. With a depleting source that it is, residents have to drill to several hundred feet to be able to reach water.
Accordingly Venkatesh, who also lives in Pavagada, points out another
thing in common among the residents. Moreover the result is a brownish deposit
on the teeth that could be easily mistaken to be an ill-effect of consuming
excess tobacco or arecanut. Furthermore currently as per report children as
young as 10 also have a similar discoloration of teeth. Further state’s health
department acknowledges the issue. Dr Venkatesha Murthy, Pavagada taluk health
officer, tells TNM that awareness camps are being conducted to educate the
locals on the need to consume only filtered water.
