Fresh, green spinach leaves that we put on our plates contain more than just nutrients. A recent study conducted by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) indicates the presence of heavy metals in the vegetables that are grown with water from the Yamuna, making them potentially hazardous to health. The study says that dumping of sewage and industrial waste in Yamuna River has led to contaminated vegetables in the area.
The report, titled ‘Living in a cleaner environment in India: A strategic analysis and assessment’, says that levels of nickel, manganese and lead in Yamuna’s water were found to be higher than the international aquatic water quality criteria for fresh water. The high levels of contaminants in food were found exclusively in the urban areas and foodstuffs produced in the more rural areas were shown to have almost negligible traces of containment.
The study identified Wazirabad and Okhla barrage as the hotspots for soil contamination. This makes sense as there are known to be high levels of industrial wastage being drained in the areas.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com, Feb 14, 2012
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