Inter departmental panel likely to check contamination in vegetables

In the light of the Central Pollution Control Board report flagging severe contamination of vegetables supplied to Bengaluru, an inter-departmental committee is likely to be set up to decide on best practices, even as Forest and Ecology Minister Eshwar Khandre said that a meeting of legislators from Bengaluru will be convened shortly to discuss the issue.

The announcement came after BJP members raised the issue of severe contamination, especially of lead in the vegetables supplied from Kolar and Chickballapur districts. The CPCB submitted a reported to National Green Tribunal recently.

Acknowledging the need for inter-departmental committee, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyanka Kharge said that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah could convene a meeting of Ministers of Agriculture, Horticulture and Animal Husbandry, among others. “Veterinary drugs, plastic, chemical migration from food contact materials and chemical agents are adding to the contamination,” he added.

STPs not working well

Forest and Ecology Minister Eshwar Khandre came down heavily on the functioning of Sewage Treatment Plants, and said that the STPs were not working well.

“Currently the capacity of the STPs is 1,200 MLD, while the capacity needed for the population of 1.4 crore population in Bengaluru is 1,800 MLD. Water bodies such as Thippegondahalli and Belladur tanks are contaminated. E-waste is being dumped and construction wastes dumping is generating dust.” A meeting of legislators from Bengaluru would be convened shortly to take stock of the issue under the chairmanship of Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, who is also in-charge of Bengaluru, he added.

Earlier, BJP member C.N. Ashwathnarayan pointed out that more than 11 alloys and heavy metals and residue of pesticides have been found in the vegetables that had been tested. “One in every second person in Bengaluru has fatty liver or suffers from degeneration of nervous system. There is a need for inter-department committee to monitor the quality of food that is consumed.” He said that cost viable solutions are currently available to treat effluents and sewage at tertiary level.

Leader of Opposition R. Ashok said that vegetables consumed in Bengaluru had been contaminated and chemical levels were found to be more than 10% above the prescribed limits. “Chicken, egg and milk are found contaminated. Use of steroid in poultry is rampant and lead contamination is found in milk,” he added.