FAISALABAD: Industrial effluents are polluting groundwater reserves, causing various fatal diseases and environment pollution, while the crops and vegetables being irrigated with this water can also cause serious health hazards to consumers.

The warning came at a seminar titled ‘Water footprint of cotton value chain’ arranged by the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) on Thursday.

Addressing the seminar, UAF Vice Chancellor Dr Iqrar Ahmad said the industry was polluting groundwater which was harmful for both agricultural and domestic use.

He urged the experts, scientist and policy makers to play their role to cope with the challenge of pollution.

“We are not treating industrial waste that is deteriorating the situation,” he said, adding that water being pumped out through tube-wells was lowering down groundwater level, besides affecting the water quality.

Stressing the need for promoting awareness about judicious use of water, he said one of the major socioeconomic challenges was mismanagement of water resources. He said water was key natural resource for irrigation, food security, economic growth, energy production and human health.

He also urged those concerned to step up efforts to control effects of waste water released by the industry.

“We need to promote less water intensive crops in view of water shortage in the country. Water reserves had already shrunk from 5,000 cusec meters to 850 cusec meters, he warned.

Dr Franck Andreas Weber from Aachen University, Germany, said Nitrate pollution of the groundwater was the biggest challenge in Germany.

He said strenuous efforts were needed to address the issue of the increasing pollution, hoping that strengthened Pakistan-Germany ties in academic and research fields would help address the issue.

He said water shortage was being witnessed allover the world and it could pose a threat to food security.

Dr Bernhard Tischbein from Bonn University, Germany, said rivers were also being polluted due to industrial effluents. He said collaborated efforts and interdisciplinary approaches were vital to fighting pollution and providing a healthy environment to the people.

UAF Faculty of Agri Engineering Dean Dr Allah Bukhsh said industrial effluents treatment was essential for a healthy environment.

He said climate change was posing a serious threat and Pakistan was one of the most affected countries of the phenomenon.

Dr Christopher Conrad also spoke on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, April 21st, 2017