Farmers told not to use polluted Hindon water to grow vegetables

Farmers told not to use polluted Hindon water to grow vegetables

Context:

• Farmers in western Uttar Pradesh have been asked not to use the water of the Hindon River for growing vegetables, which are also sold in the National Capital Region markets, as it has been found to be polluted and contaminated by various official laboratories.

Why in news?

• Several NGOs along with the Meerut administration have been creating awareness among the local farmers.
• Farmers living on the banks of the Hindson use polluted and contaminated water of the river to grow vegetables.

Content of heavy metals

• High content of heavy metals and compounds like mercury, lead, zinc, phosphate, sulphide, cadmium, iron, nickel and manganese have found in the river water.
• This makes the river water extremely dangerous to use for growing vegetables.
• Despite that a large number of farmers use the river water due to various reasons.
• Water poses a major health risk to people.

Directing the CPCB to submit the report within two months:

• The other rivers like the Kali and the Krishna, the rivers flowing in western UP, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in January had ordered to Central Pollution Control Board to do an “intensive survey” of these rivers and the 136 industrial bodies which are allegedly polluting the rivers.
• The order came in response to a petition filed by an NGO Doaba Paryavaran Samiti .
• The NGO claimed that over 50 people from villages around the rivers died of cancer as a result of consuming contaminated groundwater.
•  NGT asked CPCB to submit the report in two months.
• The NGT observed that it was the fundamental duty of the State government to look after the health and environment of villagers.

Risk to health:

• The water of the three rivers has contaminated the groundwater through seepage.