Letters to the EDITOR: Role of food inspectors

Role of food inspectors

The king of fruits—mango—is back in our midst. Various types of mangoes have appeared in the market in large numbers. But whether the consumers are buying the naturally ripened fruit or the fruit ripened by artificial means, such as carbide treatment, The health hazards of eating fruits treated with carbide are well known and documented. Last year, no mangoes or any fruits treated with carcinogenic substances were seized by food inspectors. Are we to assume that no mango sold last year in the market of Assam was not artificially ripened?

Another disturbing aspect related to this is the control and monitoring of fruits, including mangoes, sold through online platforms like Big Basket, Blinkit, Jio Mart, etc.

The government must activate the Food and Civil Supplies Department and make the food inspectors accountable for any contaminated and unsafe food items being sold in the markets or online marketplaces, including fruits and vegetables, so that food safety measures are implemented in true spirit.

Rajib Sarma,

Guwahati

Child labour is a social crime

Child labour encompasses the cruel act of depriving children of their rightful childhood. It not only robs them of their untapped potential but also exploits their energy to a minimal extent. This practice is detrimental to their mental and physical growth, leaving lasting scars on their lives. It is an immoral and disruptive practice that hampers the child's overall development. The emotional burden imposed on these children is beyond imagination. Moreover, their fellow child laborers in the same facility endure immense violence and unfavorable conditions. Growing up amidst such atrocities, they too become harmful individuals in adulthood.

A significant portion of these child laborers suffer from mental instability as they grow older, and some may even resort to criminal activities. The impact of living in such conditions is profound. The consequences of this environment are deeply traumatizing, to say the least. It disrupts the proper education these children deserve, often forcing them to abandon schooling midway. Thrust into the harsh realities of life, these children struggle to cope. Child labor takes various forms, including bonded labor and other forms of slavery-like practices.Child labor is a prevalent issue in numerous nations. The exploitation of children occurs due to various reasons. Primarily, there seems to be a lack of significant efforts to prevent it. It is crucial to swiftly eliminate child labor to prevent more children from falling into this trap, similar to the millions who have already suffered in the past. Additionally, many children are too young to comprehend that their situation is both morally and legally wrong. These young individuals, who are below the legal working age in developing countries, should be engaged in more important aspects of life rather than labor. Every child deserves a quality education, the chance to explore new things, and, most importantly, the opportunity to enjoy their childhood. Engaging in arduous labor at a young age can have long-lasting consequences on a person's future. This abhorrent practice denies children a fair chance in life, hindering their ability to reach their full potential.

Dikshita kalita

Gauhati University

Scanty rainfall and tea cultivation

The news headline 'scanty' rainfall and lack of irrigation deal a blow to small tea growers' published in your esteemed daily on May 16 has drawn our attention. It is safe to say that climate fluctuations have started to hit Assam's famed tea industry. As per reports, around 1.20 lakh small tea growers in the state failed to pluck green tea leaves this year because of scanty rainfall, whereas big gardens that have irrigation facilities have started plucking green leaves of the season. Why the State's Irrigation Department has failed to cover the small tea gardens under its purview is not understood; consequently, this has rendered workers plucking green leaves jobless, resulting in a huge loss to the small growers. Tea in Assam has always been highly dependent on rainfall, and as such, both tea yield and quality will be adversely hit by extreme weather conditions, accompanied by prolonged dry spells and growing temperatures necessitating a rethink on how best to counter the emerging weather extremes. Experts have identified climate change as one of the top five challenges for the tea industry in Assam and also sounded an ominous warning that without providing irrigation to all, tea plantations will find it difficult to survive. The situation, therefore, warrants urgent intervention by all stakeholders, including the government. The need is to put in place an urgent response system, especially in ensuring adequate water supply to small tea growers in particular for cultivation. Apart from conventional irrigation, there is a need to put stress on rainwater harvesting. Technology-driven irrigation assumes significance for the industry. Fertigation is a method of fertiliser application in which fertiliser is incorporated within the irrigation water by the drip system, and it can be an ideal way to combat the twin problems of water scarcity and nutrient deficit for the tea plants. Tea is one of the few major industries in Assam which engages the largest State's manpower is intrinsically linked to the State's economy. Unless the state government comes forward with tangible measures to protect the small tea growers, the plight of growers is not likely to change for the better.

Iqbal Saikia,

Guwahati

Ghost malls

Social media has revolutionised online purchase apps to such an extent that it has visibly influenced consumers' buying trends. Die-hard shoppers, too, are hardly visiting smaller shopping malls in the country. A survey by a reputed real estate consultancy, that surveyed malls across twenty-nine top cities in the country has said that people are, to some extent, allured by larger malls, and smaller malls have few takers. As a result, smaller malls in different cities are turning into "ghost malls,"  despite a 238 percent surge in gross leasable area (GLA). Ghost malls are those with a very low footfall and more than 40 percent vacancy rate. Small retailers and service providers are hit hard due to employment losses. Some of these ‘ghost malls’ are all set to shut down shop.

In general, private consumption, which accounts for 60 percent of the GDP, has remained weak, although it has risen as compared to previous years. Also, there has been a 59 percent increase in low performing retail. The revenue loss to developers as a result of this is estimated at a whopping Rs 6,700 crore. The NCR, Mumbai, and Bengaluru top the list of ghost malls. Inactive malls are being demolished for other commercial gains. Some have, interestingly, transformed into residential areas. A consumer yearns for an augmented retail experience. Therefore, ineffective management and poor maintenance of smaller malls, uneven competition with bigger malls, insufficient retailers---all these have contributed to the ever-increasing ‘ghost malls’ in the country.

Dr. Ganapathi Bhat

(gbhat13@gmail.com)