Dissanayake, CB; Rao, CRM; Chandrajith, R
The tropical terrains of the Indian subcontinent and the
neighbouring regions provide some of the best examples in medical geology where the impact of the
geosphere on human health is markedly seen. The life styles of millions of people in these
regions are such that there is a very close and intimate association between the rocks, minerals,
soils, water and the human population. The case studies described in this chapter, as illustrated
from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal, notably on fluorides, iodine deficiency
disorders (IDD), arsenic pollution, selenium-based health issues among others, demonstrate this
close geochemical interaction. The problem of contamination of groundwater by arsenic in
Bangladesh and West Bengal, termed as one of the world's largest environmental disasters, as
discussed in this chapter typifies the dangers that could threaten countries and extremely large
populations, when geochemistry of the environment and the associated medical geology are not
properly understood and neglected. The negative impact of such gross neglect will be seen for
many years to come and in Bangladesh and West Bengal for many future generations.