Firdous Ahmad Ahangar
Whether this Virus is manmade or natural, truth is that it’s threat is there
In our student life, almost everyone of us used to get an essay writing question “Is Technology a Boon or a Ban” or in a similar other title. Whether by cramming or your own little understanding we were to conclude that it’s BOTH, and undoubtedly it holds true till eternity.
World has witnessed many epidemics and pandemics throughout the human history and learnt lessons to cope with it and develop survival capacities within their limited resources at hand. Nothing has changed since then except technology, mind boggling tool in the hands of Homo Sapiens. Technology, a brainchild of human thinking and product of synthesis between ‘what and why’ of science and human curiosity.
The present disease Covid-19, i.e. Corona Virus-2019 declared pandemic by the World Health Organisation seems nothing but a product of human thinking and technology. It’s needless to mention the statistics w.r.t deaths and active cases, but the fact is that it has crossed all the barriers across the globe and given us an opportunity to rethink and revisit the history.
Breaching the boundaries of Nature
One of the first chemicals of widespread use as a pesticide, the famous DDT. Following World War II, it was promoted as a wonder-chemical, the simple solution to pest problems large and small. We remember, a scientist by the name Rachel Carson, who highlighted the dangers of DDT in her groundbreaking 1962 book Silent Spring. Her work attracted outrage from the pesticide industry and others. Her credibility as a scientist was attacked, and she was derided as “hysterical,” despite her fact-based assertions, calm and scholarly demeanor.
Banned for agricultural uses worldwide by the 2001 Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. However, nearly 40 years after DDT was banned , we continue to live with its long-lasting effects like breast and other cancers, male infertility, miscarriages and low birth weight, developmental delay, nervous system and liver damage. But who cares?, it’s history now.
Green Revolution:
In real sense, it was nothing but indiscriminate and disproportionate use of chemicals that polluted the soil, air and water and feed and fodders offered to animals, which inturn resulted in increased productive and reproductive health problems of human life and livestock. Various scientific studies and surveys conducted on fertilizer and pesticide residues during last 45 years indicate the presence of residues of fertilizers and pesticides like nitrates, organochlorines, organophosphates, synthetic pyrethroids and carbamates are at higher level than permissible limit in milk, dairy products, water, fodder, livestock feeds and other food products. Thus bringing much needed Integrated National Food Safety Legislation, Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 into effect.
Genetic Engineering, Getting on to the Nerves of Nature:
Although, like Nuclear Fusion and Fission, that may have been potential tools to prevent the misery of millions of people against energy crisis, Genetic Engineering too could have proven to be a blessing. But the Urge to dominate has landed us in ever increasing trouble, putting our very assistance in jeopardy.
There have been, several works done on genetic engineering with major focus on its importance ranging from increasing plant and animal food production, diagnosing disease condition, medical treatment improvement, as well as production of vaccines and other useful drugs. However, one cannot predict the changes that a genetically engineered species would make on the environment, like it has happened with many Genetically Modified Crops.
Moreover, any accident in engineering the genetics of a virus or bacteria for example could cause a serious epidemics. There is every possibility that same may have happened in the present Covid-19. As much literature is available regarding patenting of Corona Virus for clinical trials and for developing vaccines to prevent and/or treat diseases caused by them.
While there are many prophecies, myths and conspiracy theories floating in the print and electronic media, from ‘Dean Koontz’s 1981 novel The Eyes of Darkness’ to The Simpson’s, Bill Gates interviews, China’s and US claims of Biowarfare and Commercial Health Corporate’s ambitious Vaccine projects, whatever be the present drama, one is forced to assume that something is fishy.
Many believe that most of us are already being programmed for such catastrophe through many Hollywood scientific fiction movies, TV Serials, Social Networks and even Scientific Research Portals etc. Few such movies are “Outbreak” 1995, “Contagion” 2011 and “Inferno” 2016, “Rampage” 2018 etc.
Tailpiece
Whatever be the cause, it has again taught us the lesson or a moral what we used to conclude at the end of the essay writing “Is Technology a Boon or a Ban”?. The answer is in our own brains, what we want it to be?. Simlitude of our relation with nature is that “A Dog May Bark at You as a Stranger on the Street for a While , But, He Will Never Bite Your Leg Unless You Have Threatened Him”.
History teaches us that breaking the ethical boundaries of nature may benefit us momentarily, Nature will punish us in many ways eternally. Needless to say as to why, our Socio-Politico-Economic life has come to standstill. Nature hates us, and is shouting at us “STAY HOME” in the form of Global Lockdown.
(The author is Food Safety Officer, Food & Drugs Administration J&K)
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