Pesticides and Kerala Endosulphan scare.
Broad out line on Pesticides and the Endosulphan problem.
The health problems of the poor people of Kasarkode/ Calicut area no doubt deserve urgent remedial action on a war footing. Everyone should try to get them proper treatment, help and support. Proper treatment requires to establish the cause of the problem, on a scientific basis. I am not here to defend Endosulphan, but to express my views on the subject. I have objection to this being politicalised and a large number of people being mislead, by unconfirmed information or distorted facts. I also have objection to the undemocratic methods used, overlooking the legal authorities entrusted to study, review, approve or ban the use of Pesticides, in our country.
Central Insecticide Board is the legal authority, to recommend the use of pesticides under which registrations Committee of experts function. The Indian Council of Medical Research is the legal body, to review and approve medicines. Both of them have scientific facilities to conduct research and to study all related matters. Such studies are time consuming and very expensive. Very few others in our country are competent or have such research facilities. The greater interest of our Nation is food safety, of the increasing number of population by increasing food production. This is possible only by use of better seeds and careful and correct use of pesticides and fertilisers..
Endosulphan is an old generation pesticide, with broad spectrum activity and residual action. For the large number of poor farmers of India, it is a cost effective pesticide of choice. DDT is banned in most countries many years ago, but still being used in India for National Malarial Control for the same reason. I would like to briefly mention the procedure of CIB for approval or ban of a pesticide, which will be informative. Kerala State banned a large number of Pesticides, without any scientific trials or data, including Endosulphan, obviously for political considerations. There is a well laid out proceedures for testing and approval of Pesticides in India.
Before any product is imported or produced in the country, the CIB has to be provided with the molecular formula, with details of trials conducted including mammalian toxicity (oral, dermal and total). This study should cover many generations for carcinogenic and genetic effects. Even with guinipigs, rabbits or mice, this takes a few years and much cost, which only very large international companies can undertake. It is a fact that no reliable scientific study results are available to link Endosulphan, to cause cancer or genetic changes. It is a product approved by Government of India for use in crops, including for aerial application. It is a product,which is not persist ant and with reasonably short period of residual toxicity.
No new molecules of pesticidesare discovered by any Indian company or agricultural university, as they do not have and can not afford the required research facilities. The multinational companies have elaborate research facilities, large funds and patent any new products they discover. They do not bring such new products to a country like India, where patent laws or the system do not provide adequate product protection. Some of these new products are biodegradable, Selective (very pest specific) and have very low residual toxicity. Some inhibit chitin production, others cause male sterility. They are slow acting and are expensive.
Food production is an important priority in our country with a very large increasing population. By 2020 it is estimated that the food production has to increase by 30% to ensure food safety to the poor. The cultivable land area is decreasing each year. The use of new varieties of crop, new scientific methods of cultivation, careful use of fertilizers and Pesticides, are absolutely necessary to achieve the required food production.
Since there is much misinformation on Pesticides, I would also like to briefly cover some broad aspects of pesticides.
All pesticides are toxic. So are many Allopathic medicines. They should be used as recommended and carefully. Many problems are due to improper or wrong use of the product. The remedy is to educate the agricultural scientists, extension officers, dealers and farmers. The government and the pesticide companies are to be blamed for the inproper use of pesticides by farmers.
Residual toxicity is more important than mammalian toxicity, as indicated by the color coding of the products (red, yellow, blue etc). The color coding is only a warning, to handle it with more care. This does not indicate that it is a carcinogen or cause genetic change.
Another reason why new generation products are not being made in our country, by the patent holders, is the unlimited liability law, in our country. Some rich farmers like the grape growers of Nasik, bring them illegally and use them on their export produce. Tea is another crop with strict export control and use biodegradable pesticides with low residual toxicity. It is the duty of the Government to ensure adequate training, on proper use of pesticides and also ensure residue free agricultural produce, to the Indian consumers with adequate testing facilities.
We have a democratically elected parliament for changing the laws and a system to govern the country. Only Government of India has the final authority to approve or ban a product. Activist misleads ill-informed public, to blackmail the government and authorities by pressure tactics, to force their views. A few poorly informed social, religious and political leaders, join them with misguided perceptions. This trend is not good for our country. The much larger majority of silent law abiding citizens, rely on democratically elected parliament for changing the laws and the governing systems to impliment them in our country.
The procedure to approve or ban a product should be left to the legal authority (GOI through the Central Insecticide Board), under the laws and regulations of our country. The CIB follow a well laid down scientific procedure, for evaluating all pesticides, before it is allowed to be used in the country.
Our democratic governing system with legal, scientific, regulatory bodies to guide and implement rules and regulations relating to all aspects of the citizens` life, should be protected. Allowing pressure groups to take law into their own hands to take government to ransom will not be in the interest of our Nation. After his fast, Anna Hazare himself had shown wisdom, to accept in public, the supremacy of the democratic process, through the Parliament. The political developments at Singur, Narbada, Lokpal bill, Kodamkulam line, GM plants, Atomic energy, Plachimada, NH width and the Noida agitation, are examples of unhealthy and dangerous threat to democratic rule of law in our country.
Some of the more important issues of public concern, should be the use of tobacco (Panparag/gudka etc.), many kinds of local pollution like auto fumes, burning plastic and other waste on road side and farms (which are proven cause of cancer and genetic changes) and the deep rooted corruption. Everyone including the Government, at state and center, should use all their efforts to solve these more important issues, which affects much larger public.
K.George John.
10/2018
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