Environmental hazards: ‘Growing levels of arsenic in the Indus are becoming a threat’

Experts discuss ways in which the growing traces of metals can be countered.


Our Correspondent February 20, 2013
"95 per cent of mothers and their children had high traces of lead in their bodies," Muhammad Masood Kadir, speaking about the studies he conducted on women and their children. PHOTO: APP/FILE

KARACHI: Policymakers and health experts are worried about the presence of heavy metals, such as lead and arsenic, in the environment as well as the improper disposal of hospital waste - both are becoming a big threat to people’s well-being in Pakistan.

Some of them gathered at a seminar organised on Tuesday at Aga Khan University during which they tried to convey the gravity of the situation to the public. “Arsenic contamination is one of the major causes of cancer. Steps should be taken to prevent it,” said Zafar Fatimi, a researcher who has conducted studies along the Indus River. There have been similar studies in India as well as Bangladesh and both countries have already started to take measures to curb the problem. But in Pakistan, researchers and the government haven’t even gotten round to understanding the problem completely, let alone formulate strategies to deal with the growing threat, he added.

Mir Hussain Ali, the environment and alternative energy department’s secretary, agreed that policymakers need to step up their game. “It is true that very little has been done in Pakistan on environmental protection. Some of the basic steps, such as strengthening institution have been taken. This will help us improve creating, monitoring and implementing policies.”

He said the Environment Protection Agency’s (EPA) monitoring wing has been restructured and specialised sub-units have been created for air emissions, solid waste, health hazards and waste water.



Ali said there are many complex issues related to the implementation of policies such as a lack of awareness, shortage of resources and an absence of mass transit facilities in large cities such as Karachi and Hyderabad. Another big hindrance in policy-making is the lack of coordination among government departments and research facilities, he said.

Addressing the seminar via video link, Dr Nalini Sathiakumar, a professor at the University of Alabama in Birmingham, said Pakistan’s efforts toward economic development has taken precedence over the country’s environmental problems, especially water pollution. “Extensive waterlogging of arable land along with deforestation and destruction of 80 per cent of rangeland has resulted in huge economic losses.”

Prof. Muhammad Masood Kadir of Aga Khan University said lead present in the maternal bone is transferred to the foetus, leading to health complications.

“Our concern with lead poisoning is with continuous low levels of exposure, which accumulates over time and can lead to damage to the nervous system and cognition in children.”

Dr Kadir then shared data from his recent study on lead poisoning, in which he tested 500 mothers belonging to low socio-economic backgrounds across Karachi. “Most mothers were unaware of what lead poisoning is and 95 per cent of them and their children had high traces of lead in their bodies.” He said that researchers are “now focusing on home-based studies, where sources of lead include paint, relatively cheaper utensils made of aluminium mixed alloys and even commercially available surma (mascara).”

Published in The Express Tribune, February 20th, 2013.

COMMENTS (1)

Dr. Dipankar Chakraborti, Director (Research), School of Environmental Studies, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India | 11 years ago | Reply I want to send you a report on Millions may suffer from arsenic related cancer in GMB-Plain Pl. send me an email no where I can send the report
Replying to X

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.

For more information, please see our Comments FAQ