Sir,
This has reference to the editorial’Cancer disease in J&K on the rise’ (DE Dec21, 2019).It is really shocking to read that 17000 people have died in J&K due to cancer in a short span of two years and that over 850 fresh cases are reported every year and that we have more cases of cancer than our neighbouring state Himachal Pradesh.Majority of these cases must be due to the consumption of adulterated items every day though there may be other causes as well.Surprisingly, we are consuming adulterated foods too much.We are taking fruits sprayed with insecticides and pesticides, vegetables kept fresh with synthetic dyes and fruits ripened by using chemicals.The quality of food we take,the water we drink and the air we breathe is deteriorating day by day, which is perhaps leading to various ailments including cancer.
As population is growing at a fast rate, demand for food items too is increasing.So the use of chemical fertilizers and insecticides and pesticides becomes inevitable to harvest more produce to cope up with the new demand.But what is required on the part of the Government is that food adulteration, pollution of air, water, soil etc and chemical ripening of fruit must be checked to improve the quality of life of the people.But only Government’s efforts cannot address this problem.People, in general, too must come forward to supplement the efforts of the Government in this regard.People must ensure that they give up sedentry life and do as much physical activity as they can.
Moreover, everybody should try to grow their own vegetables and fruit that they can cultivate in their fields and kitchen gardens.Farmers must be encouraged to adopt organic farming .Pollution of noise, air, soil need to be checked.Less use of cars and motor bikes should be made and people ought to prefer public transport to private vehicles.Clean and green transport should be encouraged to reduce environmental pollution. Those found guilty of food adulteration and those selling spurious medicines need to be given exemplary punishment. Life is the most precious gift from God and we should live it in a proper and healthier way in order to minimise chances of various ailments.
Ashok Sharma,
Udhampur
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