Date:09/12/2004 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2004/12/09/stories/2004120902501700.htm

Back Plea for legislation to curb pollution of water sources

Our Bureau

Hyderabad , Dec. 8

INDUSTRIAL pollution and urban wastes have, during the past 25 years, taken a heavy toll in spreading contamination of soil and groundwater across many areas of the country.

More than 70 per cent of the people living in rural areas are, however, going to face major water problems due to this urbanisation, though they are not responsible in any manner, according to Mr P.C. Chaturvedi, Chairman of the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB).

As an urgent measure to halt growing groundwater and soil contamination, he suggested that States and Union Territories should bring in suitable legislation to regulate water uses and development measures against quality degradation.

Mr Chaturvedi identified arsenic problem affecting eight districts and 80 blocks of West Bengal, flouride in Andhra Pradesh and several other States, salinity affecting over 1.9 lakh sq km in Western India, iron contamination in more than 1.1 lakh habitations in the country as the major issues.

The CGWB has taken up the task to analyse all the wells constructed by it in the country for arsenic, he said in his inaugural address at the International Conference on Soil and Water Contamination at the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI).

Earlier, the Director of the NGRI, Dr V.P. Dimri, in his address said under an Indo-Norwegian project in Katedan industrial area, chemical analysis of soil and water has been completed.

Dr Jan Erik Sorle of the Indo-Norwegian collaborative project on soil and groundwater contamination with NGRI said, "India is committing the same mistakes that Europe and American have done."