I was struck by the spate of advertisments in the US TVs (I am now in Dallas TX)about Mesothelioma - cancer induced by exposure to asbestos and the lawyers trying to help the victims to get compensation from govt. Not long ago, 45 years probably, we were made to thrill at the wonder sheets called asbestos which replaced the thatched sheds in slums and gave a neat and exuberant look to the slums. Factories started sprawling manufacturing asbestos in India. Lo and behold, after 40 years, I am pained to see the advertisments saying that the attorneys are experienced for more than 30 years in this Mesothelioma litigation. My God, another instance of unsustainable development. Are we learning from our ancestors? The thatched sheds are there from time immemorial, the roofings are made of either coconut or palm leaves (a renewable source) and will be replaced normally once a year. These roofings never gave any disease to those below them.