At least 26 district-level laboratories have been established in Chhattisgarh by the Public Health department for testing fluoride in ground water, an official statement said here on Saturday.
In these laboratories, 56,388 samples of ground waters have been tested during the last three years. 328 samples of them were found with high fluoride content, it said. To ensure supply of clean drinking water in the affected area the Public Health department has set up fluoride prevention machines, it said. Similarly, the State Government has spent 5.62 crore in fiscal year 2012-13 under different schemes to provide safe drinking water in fluoride affected area.
The samples tested in district laboratories include 7,541 sample in Jashpur, 5,495 in Ambikapur, 5,102 in Sukma, 4,292 in Durg, 3,754 in Rajnandgaon, 3,386 in Raipur, 3,365 in Narayanpur and 3,253 samples in Kabirdham. Similarly, 2,711 in Korba, 2431 in Dhamtari, 2258 in Bilaspur, 1876 in in Bijapur, 1788 in Koria, 1731 in Danewada, 1466 in Kanker, 1387 in Raigarh, 1079 in Bastar, 922 in Jajangir-Champa, 547 in Balarampur-Ramanujgaon, 500 in Gariabandh, 420 in Bemetara, 388 in Mahasamund, 373 in Mungeli, 183 in Balod, and 144 in Surajpur.