WHAT has been a source of sustenancefor years has suddenly become'a banefor the tribals of Bastar, MadhyaPradesh. They are being slowly poisoned through contaminated tubewellsin the region. High levels of iron-oxidewere found in about 1,400 villages in thecountry's largest district. The villagerssuffer from.black scars, yellow teeth andother skin ailments, A high incidence ofcancer has also been reported amongthem. Though non-gov'ernmentalorganisations have known about thecontamination for long, the state government *has been turning a deaf year totheir complaints.