UN independent experts recently raised concerns about the prolonged water shortage crisis in Guadeloupe, a French Caribbean island. The experts pointed out issues with tap water pollution, inflated prices and efforts to quiet critics, describing the situation as a human rights dilemma on safe drinking water and sanitation.
The alarm was raised following the implementation of a last-minute ban on a debate concerning the water crisis, scheduled to be held by Antilles University. The censorship of human rights advocates, scientists, and whistleblowers who were involved in suggesting potential solutions to the water shortages was a particular cause for worry. As per the experts, water forms a crucial facet of the basic human needs and individuals should be able to have an in-depth knowledge of how the system operates and the right to freely engage in shaping public policy and decisions.
It was alleged that the private operators, local authorities, and even the French government, have been overlooking the water infrastructure on the island for a prolonged period. As the independent experts highlighted, this negligence has resulted in an inefficient network featuring pipes prone to leaks, with malfunctioning treatment plants and flawed billing software, among other concerns.
While France is still disputing the contamination concerns, the independent reports indicate that more than 60% of the water in Guadeloupe gets wasted through leaks before it even reaches the taps, a situation they termed as enormous waste. The experts emphasized that France needs to accept the responsibility with a proactive approach to ensure that contamination does not continue. They also urged for compensation measures for the affected population.
Contamination remains a tremendous problem in Guadeloupe, where the pesticide chlordecone, now banned, was utilised between 1973 and 1993 leading to vast environmental pollution in soil and water. The island is still struggling to cope with the cancer and other health issues caused by this exposure.
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