Pesticide taking farmers 'lives in Maharashtra

Yavatmal district of Vidarbha region of Maharashtra is well known for the suicides of cotton farmers for two decades now. But this time, what different is witnessed is the ill-effects of pesticides, which led to the death of 18 farmers and agricultural laborers in the last two weeks. However, on Tuesday, the Maharashtra state government also set up a secretary level inquiry and declared necessary steps for prevention of such cases. This chemical devastation on human health has raised questions about the modern methods of farming and its threats on our life.

Kishore Tiwari, who recently visited Yavatmal, claims in the last fifteen days, 18 people have been killed due to pesticide spraying in Yavatmal district. Hundreds of farmers and agricultural laborers, people are in hospitals who are dying are admitted in hospitals. Vasantrao Agro Swavalamban Mission run by the Maharashtra government is one of the missions which monitors the farmers' suicides and implements welfare schemes related to them. On the instructions of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the state government has announced to conduct an inquiry with the Additional Chief Secretary of the Home Ministry.

In an instant comment, Madan Yerawar, a BJP MLA from Yavatmal and a minister in Maharashtra government, says, 'Free distribution of masks and gloves for spraying of farmers and agricultural laborers has started.' Now all the hospitals have been ordered for the necessary things. In the last few days, these cases have come down. '

Among those who died were Gajanan Floramali of Savergaon. They used to cultivate cotton on three acres of land. It is claimed that the spraying of pesticides and medicines itself has an effect on them that life has gone away. Now this family is in such a shock that parents, wives, two unmarried daughters and the only 18-year-old son has nothing to worry about.

In Yavatmal district 25 cases of sharp pesticides affecting the eyes of people have come up. Their full vision will be returned but there may be long-term effects on the eyes in the future. Kishore Tiwari said, 'It is the responsibility of seed companies and their distributors to give adequate information and training to the farmers of the spraying practices, and the responsibility of keeping track of these activities is done by the Department of Agriculture. If any side effect is seen then the Department of Health has the responsibility to give immediate relief and provide safe life.”

Maharashtra's Minister Madan Yerawar stated that there is a need to wear a mask on the face, gloves in the hands and apron on the body while spraying the chemical. But this did not happen. People in shirts, casually sprayed with their skin and bones being exposed to the chemical. Spraying more chemicals can cause more damage by going through the sweat within the skin by coming directly to the body. Fraction of chemical stays in the hands yet with the same hand farmers tend to consume tobacco or gutka,which makes the chemical poison exposed to stomach. Generally every farmer is not allowed to spray insecticides. The team of specially trained laborers spray in every village. But still people do it themselves.