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 Study of socio-economic impacts of ground water Pollution in Galgamuwa area 

Undergraduate student group of Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya investigate the ground water pollution and its socio economic aspects under the subject of Natural Resource Management. This study was carried out first in Sri Lanka. The group was moderate by Prof. L.H.P. Gunarathna (Dept. of Agricultural Economics and Business Management) Prof. W.P Wanigesundara (Dept. of Agriculture Extension) and Dr. T.M.M.H. Tennakon (Regional Dentist in Galgamuwa). Group was comprised with T.V. Hasitha Priyashantha (Team Coordinator) and 7 other undergraduate peers from faculty including Nipuna, Chamila, Budhika, Asiri, Chamil, Suresh and Nelaka. Ground water pollution can happen mainly due to the anthropogenic interventions like agricultural activities, Industrial activities and leaching from municipal dumped sites have been adversely affected to the ground water resource. Apart from this, ground water may subject to pollution through the means of natural ways. One such prominent incidence is ground water pollution with high fluoride concentration. A study was carried out in order to investigate the socio economic impacts of ground water pollution in Galgamuwa, where high concentration of fluoride is recorded. (Deepthi Nanayakkara, The Ceylon Journal of Medical Science 1999; 42:13-17). High fluoride iron concentration of the drinking water (more than the 2ppm; WHO) can cause disfigured teeth scientifically named as dental flurosia. Dental fluorosia is more common incident in North central province, North-west province, some parts of Matale, Rathnapura and Hambantota areas due to the presence of this high fluoride concentration in ground water. Dental fluorsia can alter your beautiful teeth in to dull and disfigured teeth by high consumption of the fluoride during the early stages of teeth growth and development. But the case may be vary from place to place in the same area due to occurrence of fluoride is take place as micro pockets in ground water aquifer. So that people dwelling in particular location in above areas can’t get assured that their children are safe from Dental Fluorsis(here after mentioned as DF) due to the nature of fluoride distribution.

Focus of this study was to discover the social perceptions with regarding the Dental fluorosis occurred due to the ground water pollution. A comprehensive social study was conduct in the area of Galgamuwa with 30 affected people. Sample was selected randomly from the area independly from the socio-demographic characters. Meantime an investigation was carried out with 30 samples of participants who are non-affected to the dental fluorsis in university of Peradeniya. Samples were selected randomly from the university community. These two samples were subject to interview according to the questioner specially designed for assessing the social and economic impacts of the ground water pollution with relevance to the Dental fluorosia

Survey was designed intensively to trap the responders with preference to the dental fluoris and its social impacts. According to the dental fluorsis non affected community, they perceive the DF affected people as less self confident due to their bad appearance of teeth. So, they are very reluctant to smile in front of the strangers who are unusual to them. According to the survey 87% of people believe that they are reluctant to smile with others at their first meeting. Many of the responders state that the DF affected people are less confident in social movement actions with comparison to other. They believe this segment has lost their self confident and personality to stand in front of the society. Further many people have noticed that it is very rare to see they are working with the community in very actively and friendly with others. Many responders have observe that the DF affected people normally take the follow up role of the community works and little far behind than the normal healthy people.

It is very sad state of affair that the dental fluorosis non affected people perceive that the affected people as unattractive and dirty due to their external appearance. Many of the community have used to measure the people by just looking the external outlook, which is very bad and unaccepted. But DF affected people are suffered out of this issues as because they are less socially accepted. Teeth as social assets, person who has disfigured teeth due to the ground water pollution has resulted to decrease the social value of the individuals. As per the survey 97% people agreed that the teeth are important social assets when it is building social relationships and it is very important move with a group. Many DF non affected people believe that the affected people are dirty just looking of their external look without considering any other attributes of them.

When it comes to the key social relationship building events like marriage, 78% of the DF non affected people are unhappy if they got a marriage proposal from DF affected spouse. So this is huge burden to the DF affected adolescent girls and to their parents in finding a proper spouse outside from the area. The condition is similar with their professional life, 57 people out of 100 agreed that the DF affected people will not come to higher occupational success due to these disfigured teeth. Further they state that the most of the DF affected people will fail at the level of interviewing to the job recruitment even though she or he has satisfied the required qualifications in highly competitive jobs. Many have perceived DF affected people as less intelligent and not well good English language proficiencies due to their appearance. It is said they are look like from urban area until they open their mouth, as soon as they start discussion even in English many people perceive them as less intelligent and identify them as people come from the particular rural area. DF affected people are not disregard at the social relationship building, where 72% of undergraduates in university of Peradeniya states that they will work in friendly manner even he is DF affected friend. So we believe the university community doesn’t discriminate the DF affected and non affected community in social relationship building at the university level.

Another survey was carried out to investigate by interviewing 30 DF affected people in Galgamuwa area to identify their perception on themselves. Research studies shows that the DF affected people have faced various socio economic impacts with regards their disfigured teeth. 82% of the people perceive teeth as very important social assets, which they are lack in. During the research we found that they feel little uncomfortable to talk and smile with strangers. 78% responders note that they are reluctant to smile in front of others and for photographs. Many villagers believe teeth as one of the character out of five (Pancha Kalyanaya) that women should bear naturally. But when some will drastically lose it, have to suffer a lot with regarding their appearance and outlook.

Villagers dwelling in Galgamuwa area most often subject to this DF by exposing to the high fluoride concentration due to the ground water pollution. 8 people out of 30 who were subjected to the survey has notice this disfigured teeth at the early school age. So that implies those 8 people have indentified separately from the normal people at their early time of the life. To identify this as something abnormal and unusual their must be some diversion point to them. Sometime they might identify it by themselves or notice it with teasing them at school colleagues. This is very sad state of affair that they have identify and notice themselves as different due to the DF which adversely affected to personality development at early childhood.

Survey investigate that many of the DF affected people have tease or subject to sarcasm of the society due to discolored teeth and its bad appearance. According to the survey conduct at Galgamuwa, 37% of people are worrying about their external appearance while 60% are not worrying about it. But many people indicate that the DF have arisen them many social problems specially in building social affiliations. It is noticed that the DF affected people are not very active in the society where they always like to be subordinates of the group and play follow up roles. So that has adversely affected to their team behavior and leadership skills. Even though they are rich in leadership characteristics they might not able to come to the leading positions at competitive social organization due to the bad appearance of them. Survey results prove that the DF affected people are almost failed when they trying to create newer romantic relationship with non affected party due to their bad appearance. This is much more applicable to the people in sever stage DF. Mild and general DF people have successfully established their marriage life without any barrier of disfigured teeth. Traditional native people in Galgamuwa doesn’t find this as very serious case as they have not expose to the outside while the younger people who have more experiences of working and dealing with other peoples in island wide have many socio economic issues with regards the disfigured teeth. Even sometimes they have trend to create conflict and have encountered some social arguments and hassles just because of this sarcasm of the others.

Survey also studies the economic aspects of the DF with participation of the people in Galgamuwa area. According to the survey finding 7 people out of 30 have consulted a doctor with regards the DF, Per one visit they have to spend about Rs. 500- 1000 as doctors and treatment charges. We study the willingness to replace the disfigured teeth with artificial teeth. Almost all the young people attained to the survey showed great interest towards the replacing of their teeth in to proper and good looking stage which implicates that much them are suffering with this DF. Restoring the disfigured teeth is not a simple action and cheap treatment. It is highly expensive medical treatment and also it varies with the severity of the case. Although they are willing to restore the DF teeth back to the normal stage, they can’t afford the cost of this because it’s expensive medical treatment. So that they didn’t go for replacing and expensive medical treatments to restore their appearance back to normal. Studies show that the sever DF affected people are less accepted for marriage proposals which is huge cost and burden to their parents in case of females. So this will indirectly affect to the economic aspects of the family where parents and affected individuals have to suffer out of this.

Survey finding of the DF non affected community status that the DF affected people are suffering in their social, professional and personal life due to this disfigured teeth occurred due to the ground water pollution by high concentration of Fluoride. This has arisen many socio economic impacts to DF affected people and they are socially less accepted and less relies on many social activities. It is noted that the DF affected people as socially disadvantaged group which is need to upgrade their livelihoods. Ground water pollution in Galgamuwa has arisen many social issues with regards to the dental fluoris.

Preventing is better than curing. Once DF affected and if it is continued to sever DF it won’t be able to replace the teeth in simple way. Replacing teeth is huge cost and dental treatments are also not in affordable rate to the rural people. So that some have disregard the replacing teeth due to the economic barrier. As preventing measures it is ideal to avoid the expose of the kids to very high concentration of fluoride at the early stage of dental growth. For that use little amount of fluoride containing toothpaste, use rainwater, use water filter and consult a dentist are the best option to get rid of Dental Fluorosis.


 * Reproduction of any content is not allowed without prior permission of the team. This data gathering and analyzing was done in the purpose of meeting the credit level requirement of EX/EB 3201subject. Any side causes due to this survey would not be responsible by team members.

T.V. Hasitha Priyashantha Student group coordinator, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya