It sounds funny but true. Prices of some food items essential for survival have risen in real terms more than that of tobacco, which kills people.

The country's largest natural breeding ground for carp, Halda River, has been under threat owing to various manmade hazards, including industrial waste and sewage contamination, sand extraction and illegal fishing.

For many struggling Lalmonirhat families, relatively lucrative tobacco farming appears to be a blessing. But cultivating the crop brings significant health consequences. Worse still, with children commonly engaged in tending fields, the health of many youngsters is compromised.