Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 150
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 151
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Warning (512): Unable to emit headers. Headers sent in file=/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php line=853 [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 48]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 148]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 181]
LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Kerala to detoxify pesticide-hit district by T Ramavarman

Kerala to detoxify pesticide-hit district by T Ramavarman

Share this article Share this article
published Published on Dec 3, 2010   modified Modified on Dec 3, 2010

The Kerala government has decided to detoxify' Kasaragod district which has been bearing the brunt of indiscriminate spraying of the highly toxic endosulfan in cashew plantations for the last two decades.

All highly toxic Red and Yellow categories of pesticides, including endosulfan, will be banned in the district and the soil and water bodies will be frequently monitored for pesticide content to enable remedial measures, state agriculture minister Mullakkara Retnakaran told the Times of India here.

A massive awareness campaign will be launched in the district to sensitize people against the dangers of chemical pesticides and to encourage them to use less toxic pest control measures including biological methods, the minister said.

The farmers will be given subsidies for the additional expenditure they might incur while using less toxic pesticides and to compensate for declines in productivity, if any. The state has approached the Centre for this, he said. The minister said a monitoring committee would be constituted to ensure that the banned pesticides are withdrawn from retail and wholesale outlets in the district.

A host of institutions like the Kerala Agriculture University (KAU), the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI) and the Centre for Water Resources Development and Management (CWRDM) will be roped in for the campaign, he said. The experts in the health and agricultural departments as well as from the pollution control board will also be part of the exercise.

KAU vice-chancellor K R Viswambharan said the university was trying to promote organic farming for quite some time and had brought out a package of practices for this. "We have suggested that pesticides be used based on prescriptions from the agriculture officers in the area. The KAU is ready to extend its support for such a drive,'' Viswambharan said.

The people in several parts of the district have been experiencing several forms of ailments due to the spraying of endosulfan in cashew plantations. The most commonly reported ailments, blamed on the pesticide use, are genetic disorders, malfunctioning of kidney, thyroid gland and liver, skin disorders, menstrual cycle disorder, headache, nausea, swelling and watering of the eyes and difficulty in breathing.

According to Dr P V Balachandran, director of extension, KAU, it would be possible to convert some of the toxic residues in the soil and water bodies by using microbial detoxification methods. A formal announcement of the launch of the detoxification project will be made at Kasaragod on December 3 as part of the anti-pesticide day programmes.


The Times of India, 2 December, 2010, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Kerala-to-detoxify-pesticide-hit-districtT/articleshow/7025901.cms


Related Articles

 

Write Comments

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

Video Archives

Archives

share on Facebook
Twitter
RSS
Feedback
Read Later

Contact Form

Please enter security code
      Close