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Poison Fare
In Spring
2003, there's enough reason and more for the birds to fall silent. No, this
is not about the potential environmental fallout of the war in Iraq; nor is
it about the deadly disease outbreak that's globalising at the speed of
flight — two equally self-destructive and, we hope, unrelated incidents.
The new concern is about whether it's safe to eat homegrown vegetables.
A study
conducted by Imperial College, London, in Indian cities including Delhi,
says we are slowly poisoning ourselves with toxic agents by eating the
ubiquitous cauliflower, cabbage and spinach. Random samples have revealed
the presence of dangerously high levels of harmful toxic agents in these
vegetables — particularly lead and pesticides — routinely expelled by
industrial units around farming areas. You cannot wash away the toxins
because they are present not only on the surface but also within the
vegetable. Potential harmful effects of regular consumption include hampered
brain development in children and damaged kidney functions and nervous and
reproductive systems. Even privately grown vegetables are reportedly
vulnerable to toxins since the groundwater and soil contamination levels are
pretty high in urban areas.
We've
known for long that the air we breathe and the water we drink are a risky
cocktail of several polluting agents. Bottled and branded drinking water was
recently discovered to have unacceptable levels of pesticide residue.
Besides, over the last decade, edible oils, spices and pulses have all come
under the hammer for suspected harmful and deliberate adulteration with
colour-enhancing, shelf-life-extending chemicals.
Last
year, vegetables like parmal and bhindi sold in the
marketplace were found to have been chemically treated to enhance their
natural colouring. Watermelons were reportedly injected with red colouring
chemical agents. And the list goes on. Sadly, the average consumer/ grower
is seldom aware of the toxic potential of manmade air, water, soil and
consequent food contamination. Public awareness is necessary but can help
little if legislation doesn't catch up with requirement. Our food laws are
archaic; they need to be immediately re-drawn to include safeguards against
all new age hazards, and these laws should be strictly enforced. Food
quality assurance is a multi-disciplinary endeavour, and is a serious enough
issue to warrant emergency action.
Industrial
effluents and sewage must be treated before they are released into
waterways, dumps and landfills. This aspect has to be closely monitored by
regulating agencies, and defaulters must be threatened with closure of
business, failing compliance. Merely advising industrial units to relocate
to the suburbs will only widen the reach of industrial pollution — it does
not contain it.
Courtesy http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/
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