JORABAT, June 5 - Environmental pollution is a key cause for the growing incidence of cancer in the world. This observation was made by Dr MN Baruah, managing director of the North East Cancer Hospital and Research Institute (NECHRI), Jorabat at a programme organised on the occasion of World Environment Day at the hospital today.
Dr Baruah said that not only humans, every living creature on this earth is a victim of pollution. Environmental pollution in any form leads to multiple diseases and cancer is one of them.
Two students from Nigeria, Eya Okwudili Kevin and Ezeomeke Stephen who joined the patients of the hospital in observing the occasion, said that north-east India is a God-gifted land. The states of Assam and Meghalaya are rich in natural beauty and it is the duty and responsibility of the people of the land to preserve the beauty, they said. Both the students joined Dr Baruah in planting saplings on the hospital premises to mark the day.
Dr Baruah, who is an active member of the Union of International Cancer Control (UICC), Geneva, while interacting with the patients, said there are various cancers that are on the rise due to environmental pollution. Lung cancer which is related to air pollution, is on top of the list, he said. �Unwillingly we inhale air that is contaminated with harmful substances like asbestos. Water after getting contaminated with substances like arsenic may result in bladder cancer, whereas lead may cause brain cancer. Destruction of the ozone layer of the atmosphere due to deforestation has forced us to receive direct harmful rays from the sun. It is responsible for skin cancers,� he added.
Dr R Gohain, medical superintendent; Dr TK Chakrabarty, in charge of Blood Bank; Dr Gitartha Roymedhi, in charge of Hospital Quality Control Management and Indraneel Goswami, manager of administration of NECHRI were present on the occasion.
Meanwhile, along with the rest of the State, the Dimoria unit of AASU also celebrated World Environment Day today and planted around 100 saplings.
