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Episode details

World Service,18 Jul 1996,13 mins

Kolkata's Arsenic Poisoning

Global Concerns

Available for over a year

Unchecked water extraction from aquifers around Kolkata has led to an estimated 250,000 people being affected by arsenic poisoning from pyrite in the ground. Dipankar Chakraborti of Jadavpur University talks about the problem - and how it is affecting people's health. Also on the programme managing Lake Victoria, one of Africa's most important eco-systems, and is environmental progress slowed by the nature of democratic government?

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