Food Contamination in India

When the last tree is cut down, the last fish eaten, and the last stream poisoned, you will realize that you cannot eat money.” - Native American saying. A quote by Richard Wilkinson explains economic development as a development of more intensive ways to exploit the natural environment. We hurt the environment in many ways than we could possibly imagine. In the late 1980s when India was flush with a wave of increased consciousness on environmental issues, government agencies too exhibited bravado. The Indian Council of Medical Research, the premier body for medical research in the country, launched a pioneering study that resulted in a path breaking report in 1993. The nationwide study involved several ICMR labs in the country, many universities and research bodies. The basic findings of the report were startling and for conspiratorial reasons, the report was never formally released. It however was accessed by a few environmental groups and some journalists. Government did not acknowledge the report and the extent and problem of food contamination in India. Resent controversy of ‘Maggi’ may strike real issues of food contamination. Organic farming should not become a fad and restricted to the elite. There is need for more effective Food and Safety Standards Authority and revisiting our laws to plugs the gap to prevent contamination of food. Our production and manufacturing processes have to be sanitized for betterment of health of people and sustainable rhythmic economic development.