Vision statement of environmental health unveiled

The Environment Ministry on Thursday unveiled a vision statement on environmental health which takes into account the adverse effects of growing hazardous and bio-medical wastes, radiation and climate change on human health.

The statement recommends focussed health risk studies, which bring out the cause-effect relationship in clear terms for the benefit of policy makers.

It says toxic effluents should not be allowed to be discharged into water bodies and emphasis should be made on zero discharge by way of recyling and reuse.

It also suggests setting up of a National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences with regional centers while emphasising the need to modify the existing record and registration systems in the hospitals and nursing homes by including occupational and environmental history in treatement of diseases.