Green Leafy Vegetable in Mulund – Nutritive Or Hazardous?
Green leafy vegetables are a good source of many vitamins such as Vitamins A, C, and K and folate and minerals such as iron and calcium Thus, doctors rightly recommend us to eat lots of green leafy vegetable as they are the best nutritive food. Ironically, in Mumbai, the situation is different as the green vegetables like radish, spinach, cauliflower, etc., which are grown along the railway tracks in Mumbai are not ‘nutritive’ but instead ‘hazardous’ to human health! According to chemical analysts, vegetables grown along the railway tracks contain high levels of lead, arsenic, copper and other metals and these metals can have an adverse effect on human health.
According to a PIL filed in the Bombay High Court, chemical analyses of some vegetables grown along the tracks have found to high toxic elements which are injurious to health and can cause many diseases. The Bombay High Court has thus slammed the Central Railway and ordered it to stop such practice. In response, Central Railway (CR) has ordered to probe the ‘Grow More Food’ project, the report of which is expected soon.
It may be noted, in 1975, a bid to stop the encroachment of railway land along the Mumbai suburban network, the Railways had leased the land at economical rates to grow vegetables under its scheme titled, ‘Grow More Food’. The land was given only to those railway officials who work in the lower ranks of C and D grade. The land was given for the exclusive use of cultivation of crops as an additional source of income. In addition, this cultivation prevented encroachment by the slum mafia.
Though the scheme was a huge success, but environmentalists and chemical experts observed that these crops were grown using sewage and contaminated water and hence were toxic to human health. It was observed that the water used for irrigation was used from the nullahs flowing alongside the railway tracks!!! Hence, the matter was put for before the honourable Bombay High Court for adjudication.
In Mulund, too, vegetables are grown on a large scale along the railway tracks and the same vegetables are sold in Mulund’s vegetable market. So, dear readers, you decided if the green leafy vegetables in Mulund are nutritive or hazardous to human health!!
When Home Times team visited Mulund railway tracks to investigate the situation, a worker working in one of the fields said, “The contractor of the piece of land has gone to his village leaving us behind to do the work. We have been guided to use the sewage water for cultivation and cleaning the vegetables. We are just workers and do our duty as our contractor asks us to.” He informed, “Right now, there is no cultivation hence no vegetables has been sent to market.”
From Mulund to the Dadar vegetable market, the entire stock of green leafy vegetables come from the cultivations along the railway tracks. Though the Bombay High Court has directed action and warned the Railways to ensure that sewage or untreated water is not used for irrigation and cultivation of vegetables on railway land, it will be interesting to see if the High Court punishes the guilty so that such unhygienic practice comes to a halt in Mumbai and Mumbaikars truly get ‘clean and toxic free’ green leafy vegetables to eat!!!
