Is Imported Fish to Northeast india causing Cancer ?

The state of Mizoram is dubbed as the 'Cancer Capital of India' and it is a worrisome trend if the state is given such a status and the same applies for the rest of the Northeast where cancer is supposed to be one of the biggest reasons for death.

Many have termed use of Tobacco,Kwai or even eating smoked meat as one of the main reasons why there is cancer in the region .But recent studies show that Fish imported to northeastern states contain formalin which leads to cancer.

Health is wealth but as per research findings through the Population Based Cancer Registries report, over 700 people have died by cancer each year from 2012-14. The reports also revealed that new cases of cancer have been reported between 2012 and 2014 with numbers going to 4656 with number of males going ahead at 2567 and female at 2089.

A shocking news revealed that imported fish in the region contains formalin when injected causes cancer and the reason is to preserve the freshness of the fish when it reaches the state and market.

Formalin as defined in Wikipedia as a naturally-occurring organic compound and an important precursor to many other materials and chemical compounds. It is mainly used in the production of industrial resins, e.g., for particle board and coatings.

In 2011, the US National Toxicology Program described formaldehyde as "known to be a human carcinogen"!!!

ALSO READ: MIZORAM DUBBED AS 'CANCER CAPITAL OF INDIA'; CANCER CASES ON THE RISE IN THE STATE

Then does it point that the number of cases is due to addition of compound on food which has the potential to harm human lives. Food adulteration in many parts of the state and the country as a whole is not a new thing. None better example would be Maggi and the surrounding controversies around it.

The Mizoram government's health and family welfare department had recently come in defence and to clear the air on the usage of formalin saying that it does not contain any traces of the substance. The then director of the state cancer institute, Dr Thangchungnunga, recently wrote an article in which he made this observation.

The article was published in 'Hriselna', a journal of the health department.

'Over 1,300 people have died of AIDS in Mizoram out of the 13,040 HIV positive cases identified since October 1990' The state government has to even relook at this too and whatever is the finding of the report, it is imperative that officials need to look at these issues at a more  higher level.

TNT News with inputs from Times of India