Expert's claim of arsenic contamination in rice came under fire
Tuesday, 23 March 2010
Deferring an expert's claim of so-called presence of arsenic in rice, Agriculture Minister Begum Motia Chowdhury Monday said it shouldn't be at all a matter of debate, reports BSS.
The minister's criticism came soon after Dr Atiq A Rahman came up with some generalised findings of study saying arsenic creeping into farmlands and claimed that arsenic level in rice was found higher.
Health Minister Prof Dr AFM Ruhal Haque also voiced against the misleading statistics at the launching of the report titled 'Towards an Arsenic Safe Environment in Bangladesh' at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the city.
UN resident coordinator in Bangladesh Renata Lok Dessallien was also present, among others, on the occasion to mark the World Water Day.
Dr Rahman, who is the principal researcher of the publication, disclosed new scientific avoidance saying arsenic contamination has posed a major threat to achieve the goal of safe water for all by next year.
He suggested the government for building capacity, strengthening monitoring and strengthening the lowest tier of the administration for effectively tackling further spread of arsenic.
The minister's criticism came soon after Dr Atiq A Rahman came up with some generalised findings of study saying arsenic creeping into farmlands and claimed that arsenic level in rice was found higher.
Health Minister Prof Dr AFM Ruhal Haque also voiced against the misleading statistics at the launching of the report titled 'Towards an Arsenic Safe Environment in Bangladesh' at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the city.
UN resident coordinator in Bangladesh Renata Lok Dessallien was also present, among others, on the occasion to mark the World Water Day.
Dr Rahman, who is the principal researcher of the publication, disclosed new scientific avoidance saying arsenic contamination has posed a major threat to achieve the goal of safe water for all by next year.
He suggested the government for building capacity, strengthening monitoring and strengthening the lowest tier of the administration for effectively tackling further spread of arsenic.