ISLAMABAD: A recent study has found that use of groundwater contaminated with arsenic may have serious implications in the future.
Though it has found no reason for alarm yet, the study has underlined the need to take appropriate measures to counter the threat of arsenic contamination by implementing sound irrigation practices.
In Pakistan, irrigation seems to largely rely on groundwater extraction. If proper control measures are not taken, the use of arsenic-contaminated groundwater may turn out to be hazardous in the future, the study warns.
The study, conducted by the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resou-rces with financial assistance from the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation, has found that arsenic in rice crops is a relatively new issue and its direct link to irrigation water may not be clearly visible.
Published in Dawn, February 7th, 2016
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