<b>Letters:</b> Silent killers

With reference to the editorial, "Toxic food" (October 8), Silent Spring's author Rachel Carson was probably the first person to draw attention to the destruction wrought by agrochemicals. Industry launched a massive - and eventually, unsuccessful - campaign to defame her. India and the world have experienced a chemical revolution. Chemical use has exploded and every day we are being exposed to numerous substances. The air we breathe is polluted and the food we eat is contaminated with pesticide residues, often beyond permissible levels. This does not include eggs, poultry, dairy products and other animal-origin food loaded with antibiotics, which also affect our health adversely.

It seems the Darwinian concept, survival of the fittest, has been twisted to 'survival of the un-fittest'. Bees and other insects, which play a crucial role in pollination and make it possible for us to eat many fruits, vegetables and other food, are affected by pesticides as well. Our major food crops require pollinators, but bees and insects are poisoned with pesticides. Apart from entering the food chain, some pesticides are known to be endocrine disruptors.

H N Ramakrishna Bengaluru

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