Water Pollution and its Consequences on Health: A Study based on Pilot Survey in Varanasi City

Authors

  • Deepshikha Sharma Dharma Raj Research Scholar, Department of Economics, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi.

Keywords:

Water Pollution, Water Born Diseases, Total Economic Loss, Cost of Illness, Productivity Loss.

Abstract

Environment degradation impacts human health directly and adversely. It is well-recognized that the main economic burden associated with water pollution is a cost of pollution on human health. Water pollution has emerged as a key environmental threat at global level and especially for developing economies like India. This study has focused the issues related with water pollution in the form of scarcity of drinking water in Varanasi city in India. Appraisal based on the data collected through pilot survey of 20 samples. Varanasi is a city which placed near to the holy river Ganga, which is now at apogee of pollution due to superstitious religious habits and lack of government effort. This study clears us that water born disease burden in Varanasi is very high as compare to other diseases. This study also exhibits the very significant relationship among water born diseases, sanitation, toilet facility and quantity of available for drinking purpose. Ultimately, the result of this study shows that higher burden of water-borne diseases. The objective of this paper is to assign a monetary value to the loss occur due to water pollution, calculated in the form of Total Economic Loss, which is the sum of the Cost of Illness and Productivity Loss. The Total Economic Loss owing to water-borne diseases in Varanasi is 2.11% of total income

References

References

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Published

2014-08-31

Issue

Vol. 3 No. 9 (2014): AUGUST 2014

Section

Science

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