News - Unsafe pesticides are sold freely in India

THE TIMES OF INDIA	EDITORIAL	POWERED BY INDIATIMES



Indiatimes > The Times of India > Editorial > Article Unsafe pesticides are sold freely in India We must tackle this major health hazard If we are what we eat, we are in for big trouble. Much of our food and water is contaminated by a host of pesticides for which no safety limits have been set. The consequences can be devastating. Let's look at just three of the 40 most commonly used pesticides in India. DDT causes liver cirrhosis, endocrine and reproductive organ damage, among other things. Endosulfan suppresses the immune system, affects the kidneys, causes foetal disorders and increases the chances of cancer. Lindane causes chronic liver disease. All of them cause learning disabilities and diminished mental capacity in children. So we should take serious note of the fact that very few new and improved pesticides are being registered and that we are making do with old ones with no clue as to what the maximum residue limits (MRLs) are. This despite the fact that 99 percent of deaths from pesticide poisoning each year take place in the developing countries. Each day brings some new horror to light. First, we found that the mineral water which we believed to be totally safe contains high levels of toxic matter. Now popular soft drinks are found to be contaminated. The ministries of agriculture and health are at each other's throats on how to handle and take ownership for the industry data needed to set MRLs. The result — we are still to ascertain how many pesticides are actually in use. The public too is totally apathetic to such a serious issue. If the developed countries are better off than us, it is also thanks to vigilant consumers. Though few and far between, farmers who have tried raising pesticide-free crops have reported astonishing success. This should be popularised both by the government and the media. Otherwise, the cost in terms of damage to both the environment and our health will be simply too high to bear. Copyright © 2004 Times Internet Limited. All rights reserved.