TOXIC VEGGIES
   Date :30-Jul-2019

 
 
THE latest findings of dangerous levels of heavy metal in vegetables grown in fields along the Yamuna river in Delhi is a prime example of what reckless disposal of hazardous waste and effluent in water bodies can do to human health. The floodplains along Yamuna grow veggies that are heavily contaminated with metals like Lead, Nickel, Cadmium and Mercury. Prolonged consumption of such unsafe concentration of metals in foodstuff can damage functioning of vital human organs. Lack of monitoring and brazen violation of environment rules are the top reasons for contamination of Yamuna. While a monitoring committee and organisations involved in environment protection are trying their best to dissuade industries and residents living along the river to manage waste disposal there seems little improvement in the situation. Making the farmers to use treated waste water is one solution to the problem. However, that entails a massive awareness programme by the authorities as well as other stakeholders and also better implementation of sewage treatment mechanism.
 
WIDER ACCLAIM
 
THE People’s Choice Award that India’s ace sand artist Mr. Sudarshan Patnaik won in the United States (US) shows a global acceptance of the art he has perfected over years. His latest sand sculpture highlighting importance of saving the oceans from plastic pollution won him the coveted award at the Sand Sculpting Festival in Boston, Massachusetts, US. A winner of Padma award, Mr. Patnaik has continued to enlighten the people with his thematic sand sculptures that cover a wide range of subjects. Whenever he starts working on a new subject, people throng the spot and wait for hours for the art to start taking shape. To the art of sand sculpting, thus, Mr. Patnaik has added newer dimensions because of his thoughtfulness as well as scholarship. He is considered a master of minute details and nuances of various personalities he has taken as subjects. His best contribution, however, is in the area of motivation to aspiring young artists. A whole new generation of sand sculptors has emerged in the past few years, inspired by him.