POLLUTION BOARD PROJECT TO COVER ALL DISTRICTS OF KARNATAKA

Lead level in children's blood to be checked

By Seethalakshmi S.
Times News Network

April 21, 2002

BANGALORE: In a bid to arrest lead poisoning in children, the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), in collaboration with the National Referral Centre for Lead Poisoning in India (NRCLPI), will test the blood content level in children below 12 years of age, throughout Karnataka.

The lead content evaluation of children will be conducted in all district headquarters in Karnataka starting Monday. In each district, 100 children under the age of 12 will be selected on a random basis and their blood tested to evaluate the incidence of lead-related problems.

This is the first time a statewide evaluation of lead in children's blood is being undertaken in Karnataka.

"Lead is considered the No.1 environmental poison in the world. The ill-effects of lead on children can cause irreversible brain damage. After completing the blood tests, we will recommend environmental intervention to the

 

HIGH LEAD, LOW IQ

Lead does not have any beneficial biological function. there is no acceptable level of lead in our blood and even a small amount, around 10 microgram per 100 ml in children, during their growth and developing stage, will cause irreversible brain damage and alter intellectual abilities.

Children from urban areas are the worst hit by lead poisoning. And doctors warn that any level over and above 10 micrograms per 100 ml of blood will decrease th IQ of a child.

 

is above 10 micrograms per 100 ml of blood. "The lead content is in direct co-relation with the vehicular density, especially those of petrol-driven vehicles. And that's where we come in to the picture," KSPCB Chairman Upendra Tripathy said.

A team of experts from NRCLPI will visit the district headquarters in Karnataka to conduct the blood tests in collaboration with the local bodies. The tests will be conducted with a state-of-the-art methodology.

This will be followed up with seminars and awareness programmes for officials of the District Pollution Control Boards, health and environment workers. "The project will be undertaken in a phased manner and we hope to complete it by the year-end," Dr. Ventakesh said.

In the first phase, Banagalore, Mysore, Hubli, Dharwad, Belgaum and Bijapur will be covered. Gulburga, Bidar and Raichur will constitute the second phase and the remaining districts will be covered in the third phase of the project.

authorities concerned." NRCLPI Director Dr. T.Venkatesh said.

That lead is seeping into the blood stream and has reached dangerous levels is now established. According to studies conducted by the George Foundation, the lead content in the blood of over 50 per cent of children below 12 years of age in seven major cities in the country,
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