The availability of safe drinking water without high fluoride content has remained a distant dream in many areas of sprawling Bastar and Bakaband block as fluoride renewable plants yet to be installed at as many as 187 tube wells.
Of the total 219 tube wells in both the blocks, such plants have been installed at only 32 tube wells. The incidents of fluoride contamination came to light when dozens of villagers and children were found with weak bones and decay tooth in Bakel are under Bastar block in 2010.
Subsequently high fluoride contents were also found in the water at dozens of tube wells in Dimrapal village under Bakaband block area next year. As a result the all hand pumps which were producing water with high fluoride contents were closed down on the initiative taken by the then PHE minister Kedar Kashyap, who is now the School Education minister.
The administration which carried out a survey of all tube wells found the situation serious. Kashyap had then directed the administration to install fluoride renewable plants at all such tube wells.
Although four years have been passed, fluoride renewable plants were installed at only 32 of the total 219 hand pumps.In 2011 such renewable plants were installed at the hand pumps in Kesharpal and Pallibhata villages but the plants remained shut as the operators were not provided remuneration.
Public health department officials said efforts were on to install renewable plants at the remaining tube wells. They said the tube wells where renewable plants have not been installed have been sealed and water is being supplied to the villagers through tankers.