20 Dec 2013
Field trip to Assam along with Fluoride Network team
The Fluoride Network and Arsenic Network teams undertook a field visit to Assam with the agenda of establishing contacts with the various stakeholders in Assam, namely the PHED, NGOs, educational institutions and conducted an exploratory field visit to two fluride affected villages in Naogaon district. The network teams were accompanied by Dr. Raja Reddy (Senior Consultant Neurosurgeon, Apollo Hospitals and Professor Emeritus & Former Director, Nizam’s institute of Medical Sciences) and Suneetha Sapur (Director, Akkshaya Foundation) for technical assistance.
The group was helped immensely by Mr. A B Paul (Retd. Chief Engineer, PHED, Assam) in coordinating the field work as well the meetings with government officials and NGOs. The field visit opened up opportunities for the Arsenic network to carry forward its work in Assam and with the connections already established through this visit, another field trip to arsenic affected areas is being planned in the upcoming month with the aim of identifying spaces in need of immediate attention from external players and where intervention activities can be planned and taken up soon.