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Unsafe hospitals
Should hospitals be asked to shut down if they are
found to be violating rules regarding bio-medical waste disposal? A survey of Delhi's
hospitals show that even after having been issued notices by the Central Pollution Control
Board (CPCB) to comply with guidelines, many of them still have not done anything. Take
for instance the air pollution control device in the incinerator installed at Lady
Hardinge Medical College and Hospital. Professor A S Bais, Medical Superintendent says
that the equipment is 25 years old and the new one can be installed only either by January
end or the end of February 2003. Lack of funds is another reason given for non-compliance
of bio-medical waste disposal standards. According
to Dilip Biswas, chairman, CPCB, the CPCB has been granted legal powers by the environment
ministry, which has now authorised them to take legal action against those violating
pollution control norms anywhere in the country. The top five hospitals which pose a
serious health hazard to Delhi in terms of non-compliance with bio-medical waste disposal
standards are the Hindu Rao Hospital, Army Research and Referral Hospital, Lady Hardinge
Medical College and Associated Hospitals, Batra Hospital and Medical Research Centre and
Tirathram Shah Hospital.
Epidemic of malnutrition
The rising levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the
atmosphere will soon lead to an epidemic of malnutrition overflowing the world over.
Plants today are exposed to almost 30 per cent more CO2 and by 2100, these
levels will have doubled to approximately 550 parts per million (ppm). Rising levels of CO2
makes plant barren and denudes them of vital micronutrients such as iron, zinc, selenium
and chromium. It also increases photosynthesis, which ruins the plant growth. It stifles
the plants capacity to absorb nutrients making fewer amounts of nutrients available.
Almost 84 per cent of our calorie intake and 32 nutritional elements, 24 of which are
essential for the human body is provided directly by plants.
Studies on rice show a decline in nitrogen levels by 14 per cent, phosphorous 5 per
cent, iron 17 per cent and zinc 17 per cent. Iron deficiency today affects almost 3.5
billion people and causes mental and physical impairment. Pregnancy complications
resulting in poor growth and health in childhood can be attributed to zinc deficiency in
the diet of the pregnant mother.
The solution to prevent this epidemic from happening would lie in
"biofortification," wherein micronutrient levels could be boosted through plant
breeding and genetic engineering. These are however time consuming and it may well take
7-10 years for the new breed of crops to be made available.
Irakli Loladze, biologist with the Princeton University, New Jersey, USA, says,
"To avoid malnutrition you have to consume more calories. To keep the same calorie
intake, you have to accept a diet low in essential elements. In either case, not a healthy
choice." |
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