West Bengal, Bihar worst affected due to Arsenic contamination in rice centre informs National green tribunal
Recently, responding to National Green Tribunal (NGT), Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare brought out arsenic contamination in rice before it. The ministry was claimed to have brought such matter before the tribunal claiming West Bengal and Bihar are worst affected by the problem mainly because of massive groundwater usage in both these states for irrigation that caused high contamination.
The NGT is now dealing with a case relating to the contamination of rice on account of arsenic. Earlier, the Centre was sought to present its response in this regard. Specific questions have been sent for the Centre to provide its reply regarding the vulnerability of rice, as it has absorptive capacity to gather poisonous arsenic from water and the soil harmful to the human body.
Explaining its case, in its reply, dated December 16, the Centre had stated that the crop was highly prone to arsenic build-up because rice was a water-intensive crop. One of the main ways by which the element was entering the soil and further into the food chain was through arsenic contamination of groundwater used for irrigating agricultural fields. The Centre further added that this might also result in the deposition of arsenic in rice grains, which could be injurious to health. The Centre further expressed concern over the distribution of arsenic in agricultural plants. According to it, the arsenic content is maximum in the roots, followed by stems and leaves. Among the vegetables, those parts of vegetables which are edible and grow underground or are leafy like spinach and beetroot have higher amounts of arsenic as compared to fruit-bearing vegetables like tomatoes, beans, and brinjal. In most cases, the edible part of the fruit or grain from plants like rice contains lesser amounts of arsenic.
The ministry said transporting the arsenic-contaminated rice from endemic to non-endemic arsenic areas may contribute towards enlarging risks of arsenic exposure within populations who are relatively rare in exposure to this toxic material. This raises an essential concern about risks from contamination due to arsenic in food supply chains and thus may well impact public health. The Centre suggested a few remedial measures that would mitigate the effects of arsenic in the soil-plant system by trying to tackle the problem of arsenic contamination, which is fast becoming an issue of growing importance. Recommendations included replacement of the water-intensive rice varieties with crops relatively more resistant to arsenic and less water-dependent. The ministry further proposed planting non-edible and leguminous crops during the dry season in places that recorded a high level of contamination.
The Centre also proposed the use of biochar. Biochar is a product of pyrolysis of sources of biomass which can be burned. The application in the contaminated soil reduces the arsenic concentration in it. It recommended the use of green manures, silicate fertilizers, and other improvement techniques for the soil as a countermeasure to contamination. The Centre has recommended that the arsenic-infected water be stored in ponds and be diluted using rainwater so that concentration of arsenic comes down, apart from the plan to utilize a mix of groundwater and surface water for dilution of arsenic. The tribunal has called for a response from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and made it a respondent in the case. NGT has fixed the date for further development and response on April 15, 2024.
Slowly arsenic contamination in groundwater issues became highly contentious in some parts of India, more particularly in the Ganga-Brahmaputra basin. High concentration of arsenic levels are associated with a wide range of health problems, which include but are not limited to: skin lesions and other cancers, developmental anomalies, among others. The two most significant sources of pollution relate to the natural presence of arsenic in the area’s ground water and two aggravating factors: farming activities and poor waste collection and disposal. Because paddy is primarily cultivated in flooded fields, the crop holds a great propensity for arsenic contamination because it is a staple food crop in India. The water-intensive nature of the crop meant that it was one of the most popular crops used in the process of siphoning off arsenic present in the groundwater. For a long time, experts have been giving out warnings on the impacts caused on public health due to arsenic, as people consume more rice.
Conclusion:This is a serious issue from the scale point of view, where the Government along with agricultural scientists, continues to develop further tactics, to reduce arsenic concentration in soil and further diluted in crops. The Center could suggest alternative farming measures, such as sowing lesser water-absorbing crops and extensive use of most updated agricultural technologies. These are just possible solutions that can be made effective by involving coordination and planning between state governments, agricultural bodies, and people staying there in the affected region. Combating arsenic contamination shall rely greatly on recommendations and actions to be taken and will, accordingly be presented and responded during the case presented before NGT so that public health and agricultural sustainability in these affected regions do not get derailed.
Source: Content derived from the Centre’s reply to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and ongoing proceedings.