Letters

Just right for kids

I would like to inform you that it gave us much pleasure to read the article referring to the FAO Earthbird magazine (Down To Earth, November 22, 1992). As you know, these magazines are easy reading material for children and they focus on important environmental issues.

M W HOSKINS, Senior Forestry Officer, Food and Agriculture Organisation, Rome ...

Focus on socio-economics

I am all appreciation for your magazine, Down To Earth, which a friend lent to me to read. Your coverage of the issues is good, it does not have an axe to grind and is both objective and non-political in its analysis of issues.

But I would like to see more on the socio-economic aspects of the environment. This is my considered opinion after having taught at the university level for more than two decades, doing field-work for about just that long and having written three books on economics.

B N PAL, Delhi ...

Luring tourists

I strongly endorse K C Santhosh Kumar's views on the Kerala tourism department's cultural sham (Down To Earth, March 31, 1993). More than a year ago, Doordarshan telecast a Kerala government scheme whereby foreign tourists were offered a $400 tour package to attend the Onam and Pooram festivals.

These festivals normally take place in end August and early April, respectively, but were lumped together by state tourism officials as part of the package. Only a handful of tourists responded to the package offer and it was not until some time later, that a newspaper item reported that these tourists did not visit any of the handicrafts shops because the tour package included the award of some handicraft items as token gifts to each tourist.

GOMATHY VENKATESWAR, Bombay ...

BST 'magic'

G P Talwar and R S Ludri maintain treating cattle with bovine somatotropin (BST) is safe and the latter even attributes to "Western vested interests" the campaign to prevent its use in India to increase milk yields(Down To Earth, April 15, 1993).

The fact is that BST warnings were made by various consumer groups, non-governmental agencies such as Greenpeace and Rural Advancement Foundation International and scientists of the stature of Samuel Epstein. Those pushing BST as a "magic product" are mainly the four multinational corporations that have sunk millions of dollars in product development and promotion.

A study of BST done by the Free University of Amsterdam on the potential consequences of the use of BST in a country like India, reached these conclusions:
• Cows injected with BST need high-quality fodder, they are more susceptible to the mastitis disease, and they are vulnerable to hot weather.
• Large-scale use of BST might have an upsetting impact on the price of milk.
• Applying BST on a large-scale basis in USA and EC could increase the dairy surplus in these countries and possibly lead to wide-scale dumping in the global market.

The Indian Council for Agricultural Research is correct in not giving in to the demand of the National Dairy Development Board for unrestricted import of BST. When the product is yet to receive final clearance in USA and EC, why should India import it in any more than the quantity needed for experimental purposes?

K RAVI SRINIVAS, Coimbatore ...

Basis for a PIL

Your esteemed magazine has published an article on the Damodar's industrial burden (Down To Earth, January 31, 1993). It may be of interest to you that we have adapted it as material on which to base a public interest case that we are filing requesting the High Court to instruct the Bihar government to take the necessary steps to ensure the betterment of the lives of the people in this area.

G S JAISWAL, Secretary, Free Legal Aid Committee, Jamshedpur ...

Cover tourism

May we suggest that Down To Earth should include a page or even a half-page to deal with issues related to tourism in each issue, for tourism is the biggest business in the world and affects us all adversely. Issues such as more luxury hotels, golf tourism, adventure tourism and wildlife tourism need to be discussed and debated.

RANJIT HENRY, Madras ...

Letters Letters