Impact of Salinity Intrusion on Health of Coastal People: Reflections From Dacope Upazila of Khulna District, Bangladesh

Abstract

Increasing salinity in ground water, arable lands and many rivers of the southwest coastal area are important consequences of sea level rise as well as climate change. The scarcity of fresh drinking water was the very initial impact of salinity intrusion that possessed multidimensional threats on human existence. Thus, the current study is designed to know the potential problems caused by salinity intrusion and the protective measures and coping mechanisms adopted by coastal people for salinity. To meet the objectives, two southwest coastal villages Joynagar and Parjoynagar of Kamarkhola union at Dacope upazila in Khulna district of Bangladesh were selected purposively as over past few decades along with other southwest coastal areas these two villages were suffering from increasing salinity intrusion. A collection of qualitative techniques including case study, FGDs and KIIs were adopted to gather vivid data. The results of the study found that apart from physical and psychological health salinity intrusion also possessed adverse impact on social health. The very common physical problems include acidity, stomach problem, several skin diseases and psychological problems include hypertension. Besides, there happened social health problem because of the physical and psychological problem. For example, early marriage happened because salinity gradually changed the skin color from light to gray. However, the findings also presented that all preventive measures of community and authority were taken only for securing fresh drinking water instead of taking preventive measures for purifying washing and cooking water that led to several diseases and problems. In conclusion, it can be recommended that increasing freshwater reservoirs can be a suitable solution for salinity intrusion of the coastal areas.