Dear Editor,
I have noticed that articles have appeared in the media, which to a person with a scientific bent of mind and an education in technology, appear to be cases of improper education and sensationalism.
The latest case which I do wish to highlight is the article which appeared on the first page of the Hindustan Times,Delhi dated July 25th 2003 which was titled "Highway pumps wreck engines". The reporter reports that the "samples collected from the petrol pumps in Faridabad and Gurgaon were found to contain the adulterant acetylene, a chemical used in dry cleaning". This is factually incorrect. To get the facts straight acetylene is a gas with the formula C2H2, and is used in oxyacetylene blowtorches used for cutting and welding metals/alloys such as steel and copper, and as a feedstock for chemical industry to produce plastics such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride) PVDC etc. and is not used for dry cleaning. It is close to impossible to adulterate petrol with a gas, the handling of which is extremely difficult and which is more expensive than petrol.
This is not the first time that the reports have been edited in such a callous manner and are full of "science fiction" if I may use the term. I recall an article in "The Times of India" where there was a discussion on "Silicon Implants" (as in breast implants) in cosmetic surgery. In this case the term "silicon" has been used instead of "silicone". A silicon implant would be used in making cyborgs, in the realm of Science fiction.
This kind of reportage is extremely misleading to lay readers whose knowledge of science may not be sharp and not the least on the young readers who are in the process of getting an education who look to the newspapers as being factually correct and being well researched and properly proof read. The remedial action would be to get all such articles proof read and vetted by a proper scientific/technological consultant before being published.
Yours sincerely,
S.Dipak
New Delhi