Poison in Your Plate: Polluted Water Threatens Food Chain, AMU Researcher Warns

• AMU researcher Shirjeel Ahmed Siddiqui warns that polluted river and canal water used for irrigation introduces heavy metals, chemicals, bacteria, and fungi into farm soil.
• Industrial waste (pharmaceuticals, lock manufacturing), hospital liquid/solid waste, and community waste are major sources of water contamination.
• Contaminated water directly impacts farmers' health, leading to chemical accumulation and severe organ damage like kidneys.
• Harmful substances enter the food chain through crops, increasing the risk of difficult-to-treat diseases for consumers, with heavy metals persisting in the body.
• Strict waste treatment policies for industries, hospitals, and communities, along with farmer awareness, are crucial to prevent this health hazard.

Why It Matters: Polluted irrigation water contaminates food, posing severe health risks; urgent waste treatment and awareness needed.