Chinese toys: I was staying with my niece at Karaikudi, Sivagangai District, Tamil Nadu. In the next morning I was sitting on the compound wall and her son was playing there. After ten minutes I noticed that he was taking something which was pink in colour from his pocket, smelling it and putting it back in his pocket. At first it did not draw my attention. Since he was repeating this several times, I asked him to show it.

It was a broad tree shaped synthetic toy, very soft and smelt heavily on some organic solvent. I called my niece and advised her to throw it immediately in the waste box and not to buy any cheap toy made and marketed by China. Your child could become easily addicted to organic solvent without its own mistake. It is the duty of the parents to learn and know more about these kinds of dangers which could be avoided completely.

The important message is that poisons are everywhere in the environment. If we know this we can avoid much hidden poisons. When you confront with these poisons, never ask why should I do this, but be happy to have this chance to do that which is important for the health of all.

I am not against Chinese toys. The German market is also full of Chinese products and my electric shaver which I use every morning is made in China. But there is a big difference in the method of procuring the products from China by Germany and India. We, in Germany stipulate all the technical specifications to the Chinese companies and they produce accordingly products for us. This means which raw materials they must use or which they must not use since they are banned by German laws.

It could also be done in India; it is the duty of the concerned authorities to enforce the right guidelines. It is the duty of the consumers till then to avoid buying such poisonous toys or other products.