Abhijit Mukherjee

Soil arsenic above 14 mg/kg can cause rice to be unsafe for consumption

First meta-analysis utilizing published data from Asian paddy fields on arsenic in rice grain, soil, and irrigation water to determine the relationship between them and to derive a limit of soil arsenic using machine learning algorithms

Jajati Mandal

Sudip Sengupta

Posted on 05 Jan, 2022 09:18 PM

Arsenic exposure, mainly through contaminated groundwater used for drinking, has widely been associated with detrimental health effects (

Soil contributes more than irrigation to rice-grain arsenic concentration (Image: Arjun Reddy, Pixabay)

Groundwater depletes in north and east India

Study shows a rapid decline in usable groundwater between 2005 and 2013 leading to the risk of severe food crisis and drinking water scarcity for millions of people.

Soumendra Nath Bhanja

Posted on 23 Apr, 2019 07:12 PM

India is the largest user of groundwater in the world. It uses an estimated 230 km3 of groundwater per year, which is over a quarter of the global total. About 85 percent of rural drinking water needs, 65 percent of irrigation needs and 50 percent of urban drinking water and industrial needs are fulfilled with groundwater.

Crop irrigation with groundwater, powered by electricity in Gujarat. (Image: Tesh, Wikimedia Commons, CC-4.0A-ShareAlike-International)

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