Single-use plastic major cause of cancer, says kidney priest

Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, November 30

Davis Chiramel, Indian Syro-Malabar Catholic priest from Kerala, also known as the Kidney priest, was in the city today for his campaign “I challenge plastic bottle”.

Priest Chiramel said he was disheartened as he had to bury six people who died due to cancer. He found that one of the major reasons behind this was increase of single-use plastics and their improper disposal.

“Micro plastics are entering what we eat and drink. It is becoming one of the major causes of cancer and other diseases,” he said.

He added that less people were dying a natural death and most of the deaths were occurring due to diseases. It is time to act and protect your family and next generation, he said.

“Everyone should recycle plastic as much as possible and also segregate it at the source. In Kerala a campaign called ‘Plastic Free Kerala’ is being run which should be adopted in Punjab as well,” said priest Chiramel.

The ‘Kidney priest’

Priest Chiramel is also a chairman of the Kidney Federation of India. Around nine years ago, a person wanted to commit suicide because of his damaged kidneys as he could not find a donor. So he donated decided to donate his own kidney despite non-approval of his family members and follower.

“I became the first priest in the world to donate a kidney to an unrelated person. After that, more than around 20 priests, including bishops and nuns donated their kidneys. Kerala is the only state in the country where one can donate kidney to an unrelated person. It is illegal elsewhere but in Kerala, we certify genuine donors through the Kidney Federation of India,” he said.