You are Rohan/ Rohini. You are concerned about the health hazards caused by the use of pesticides and other harmful chemicals. Write a letter to the editor of ‘The Indian Times’ expressing your views on the subject.
15, M.G. Road
Bangalore
16th June 20XX
The Editor
The Indian Times
New Delhi
Sub: Health Hazards of Pesticides
Dear Sir
Through the esteemed columns of your local daily, I want to express my views on the health hazards caused by the use of pesticides.
Pesticides are designed to kill and because their mode of action is not specific to one specie, they often kill or harm organisms other than pests, including humans. The application of pesticides is often not very precise, and unintended exposures occur to other organisms in the general area where pesticides are applied. Children, and in fact any young and developing organisms, are particularly vulnerable to the harmful effects of pesticides. Even very low levels of exposure during development may have adverse health effects.
Pesticide exposure can cause a range of neurological health effects such as memory loss, loss of coordination, reduced speed of response to stimuli, reduced visual ability, altered or uncontrollable mood and general behaviour, and reduced motor skills. Other possible health effects include asthma, allergies, and hypersensitivity, and pesticide exposure is also linked with cancer, hormone disruption, and problems with reproduction and foetal development.
The World Health Organization estimates that there are 3 million cases of pesticide poisoning each year and up to 2,20,000 deaths, primarily in developing countries. These symptoms are often very subtle and may not be recognized by the medical community as a clinical effect.
We must open our eyes to these facts and find an alternate solution to pesticides. I am sure that using organic pesticides will solve the problem to a great extent. We all need to come together and fight with the problem.
Yours sincerely
Rohini