India's Health Under Scanner

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We have heard about malnutrition and undernutrition. We also know about arsenic poisoning. Now a new survey has cautioned about lead poisening.
Quality Council of India (QCI), in its study of six major metros including Banguluru and Hyderabad, of children below 12 yrs has come to the conclusion that 51.3% of these children have lead concentration in their blood much more than desired (the permissible limit being 10 micrograms/deciliter). The main culprit is the enamel paints used in homes and vehicles.
According to the study, yellow paints have lead concenreation upto 85,000 ppm (parts per million) while white paints fair better as these have upto 1,330 ppm. (The limit for lead in paints in US is 90 ppm.) However, Asian Paints, ICI India and Mysore Lead have started producing somewhat lead-free paints, though these are about 25% costlier than others.
The study has shown that higher levels of lead concentration result in decline in IQ by four to six points.
The above news appeared in The Tribune dtd Feb. 16. Incidentally, The Tribune, the previous day, carried the news of Sanjiv Mehta purchasing East India Company with the caption : The Company that once owned India is now owned by an Indian.

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