The recent report by the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), a premier scientific institution, highlighting cadmium contamination in oysters should be treated as a serious public health concern rather than dismissed outright. While the Deputy Director of Fisheries has questioned the findings and officials say action will follow only after receiving the report, such a response reflects complacency. Goa's rivers are already known to be polluted. Even if contamination levels are currently low, heavy metals like cadmium accumulate gradually in marine life and, ultimately, in the human body. Waiting for illnesses or fatalities before taking preventive action is neither responsible nor acceptable.
Instead of discrediting scientific studies, the government should welcome independent research and strengthen food safety monitoring. Do our departments have adequately equipped laboratories to regularly test seafood and other food consumed by the public? Past experiences, including the formalin controversy, have shown that whistleblowers and honest officers often face consequences instead of receiving support. Public health must take precedence over bureaucratic defensiveness. Scientific evidence should guide policy, prompt timely intervention, and reassure citizens that their safety remains the government's foremost priority.
GREGORY E D'SOUZA, Siolim
