The Killing Fields - Toxics Linktoxicslink.org/docs/06266_The_Killing_Fiealds_Warangal...

The Killing FieldsFarmer deaths due to exposure to

pesticides in Warangal District

Report of the Fact-finding Team

● Toxics Link

● Sarvodaya Youth Organisation

● Centre for Resource Education

● Community Health Cell

January 2002

THE FACT-FINDING TEAM

P. DAMODER, Sarvodaya Youth Organisation, WarangalRAJESH RANGARAJAN, Toxics Link ChennaiD. NARASIMHA REDDY, Centre for Resource Education, HyderabadMADHUMITA DUTTA, Toxics Link, New DelhiDr. RAJAN PATIL, Epidemiologist, Community Health Cell, BangaloreS. NAGASENA REDDY, AP High Court Advocate, HyderabadS. ABITHA, Media Professional, Chennai

The team was accompanied to the field for assisting in translation and other support by:MR. BHASKAR, SPACE, Warangal and MS. SUBHASHINI, Rudhramadevi Women�s Welfare Group, Warangal.

ABOUT PARTICIPATING ORGANISATIONS

● Toxics Link is an information-clearing house on environmental-toxicity related issues. It is a group that exchanges informationwith experts, organisations and individuals working on toxics in India. Toxics Link has offices in New Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai

Toxics Link New Delhi: H-2, Ground Floor, Jungpura Extension, New Delhi � 110014Phone: 011-4320711, 4328006Email: [email protected]

Toxics Link Chennai: 8, Fourth Street, Venkateshwara Nagar, Adayar, Chennai � 600020Phone: 044-4460387, 4914358Email: [email protected]

Toxics Link Mumbai: 4th floor, CVOD Jain School, 84, Samuel Street, Mumbai � 400009Phone: 022-3752050, 3759657Email: [email protected]

● Sarvodaya Youth Organisation is a voluntary organisation working on agricultural issues in rural areas.It also has done extensive work on consumer and environmental issues.Sarvodaya Youth Organisation, 6-1-76/A, opposite Sridevi theatre, Hanamkonda, Warangal � 506001 Phone: 08712-567084

● Centre for Resource Education is a voluntary organisation based in Hyderabad working on issues relatedto agriculture, sustainable development, environmental protection and other related rural and urban issues.Centre for resource education, 201, Maheshwari complex, Masab tank, Hyderabad-500034Phone: 040-6613367, 6621571 Email: [email protected]

● Community Health Cell is a professional group comprising of doctors, epidemiologists and otherhealth professionals, that specialises in offering technical support on health-related scientific studies.Community Health Cell, 67, Jakkasandra, 1st Main, 1st Block, Koramangala,Bangalore-560034 Phone: 080-5531518, 5525372 Email: [email protected]

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The team would like to thank,◆ Global Green Grants for funding the study of the fact-finding team◆ Mr. Bhaskar and Ms. Subhashini for assisting the team in translating from the local language for better communication.◆ The local media for covering the event◆ Ravi Agarwal and Kishore Wankhade of Toxics Link for their comments and inputs in the report.

Design by Splash Communications; Production by Kriti Creations

The killing fields of Warangal

PAGE 1

extensively in crops such as cotton, paddy,chillies, horticulture, tobacco, etc. They arealso used for public health purposes, likevector control for diseases like malaria,dengue, Kala azar However, little attentionis given to their long term impact on theenvironment and human beings.

Cotton is cultivated in more than 8million hectares in India, concentrated infive states of Maharashtra, Gujarat,Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and Rajasthan.Cotton is a crop which is presentlydeciding the fate of more number offarmers in Andhra Pradesh than before.Since 1990, cotton has been the cause ofsuicide deaths by farmers in several districtsof Andhra Pradesh, with the number ofsuicides increasing every year.

In 1997-98, the area under cottoncultivation in Andhra Pradesh was 7.60lakh hectares (ha). Among the threeregions of Andhra Pradesh, acreage undercotton in the coastal Andhra Pradesh was2,28,258 ha, in Rayalaseema it was 70,061ha and in Telangana region it was 1,51,750ha respectively. Cotton cultivation isrelatively a new phenomenon in Warangaldistrict. The acreage under cotton has been

BACKGROUND

growing steadily in the past seven years,from 1,500 ha in 1970-73 to 88,000 ha in1997.

In the upland rain-fed conditions,cotton can be sown at any time betweenJune to September. But if the sowingsare delayed beyond first fortnight of June,yields are likely to reduce drastically. Thoughcotton cultivation has spread rapidly toalmost all the districts of Andhra Pradesh,there is wide variation in productivity levelsand economic returns from region toregion and from year to year, mainly dueto the agricultural practices and naturalconditions. This variability is gnawing theeconomy of the farmers and has been thecause of distress, suicides and deaths inthe villages of Andhra Pradesh, particularlyin Warangal district during the past fouryears.

Warangal district, in the dryland regionof Andhra Pradesh, has emerged as oneof the main cotton growing areas in thecountry next to Guntur district. This year(2001-2002), cotton was sown in an areaestimated to be more than 2,50,000 acres.Cotton as a crop is now considered as aboon by the farmers. According to theoffice of the Joint Director of Agriculture(JDA), Warangal, this district makes asubstantial contribution to cottonproduction in Andhra Pradesh. It is only

esticide consumption inagriculture has been on the risein the last 10 to 15 years inIndia. Pesticides are usedP

Rep

ort

of t

he F

act-

Find

ing

Tea

m, J

anua

ry 2

002

PAGE 2

BACKGROUND

in the last decade that Warangal has comeunder the Cotton Belt. Farmers, be itsmall, marginal or large, have shifted tocotton primarily due to expectation ofgood returns it brings from the agriculturalmarket � the white gold.

However, cotton is a crop that hasbecome synonymous with pests andpesticides right throughout the growingseason from July to January. At thepreliminary stage, comes the suckinginsects, followed by the most commonBollworms (Green and Pink) of the GeniiHeliothis and Helicoverpa which devastatecotton crops. To obviate this problem,farmers have to invest heavily on pesticidesand insecticides in order to get optimumyield. Normal yield ranges from 5 � 10quintals per acre1 .

It is officially estimated that this cropseason over 600 metric tons (activeingredients) of pesticides were used inWarangal district alone, at an estimatedcost of Rs.30 crores.

The ill effects of prolonged use ofpesticides are many. But three mostimportant effects of prolonged use ofpesticides are: large-scale killing of the otherbeneficial organisms; quick resistancedevelopment by the pests to the pesticide;and, the uncontrolled growth of the pests

due to the elimination of the predators.Contamination of natural resources dueto pesticide and chemicalisation ofagriculture has lead to adverse impacts onecology and environment. In recent yearsimpact on human beings by these deadlychemicals are coming to the fore. Recentfarmers deaths in Warangal district ofAndhra Pradesh is one such instance.

Andhra Pradesh as a forefront State inadopting green revolution techniques ofagricultural production has been thelargest consumer of chemical fertilizersand pesticides for important commercialcrops like cotton, green chillies, tobacco,vegetables, and grapes. Importantly,cotton has been the single most cropwhich requires heavy application ofchemical pesticides. Such �expensive� inputshave also been the scourge for farmers,who are already in grave financial situationdue to un-remunerative prices, andpernicious policies of the government.Cotton farmers have been committingsuicides in the State for the past three tofour years. Warangal district has shot intolimelight because of such suicides.However, recently, AP Raithu Sangham, afarmer�s organisation with a state-widenetwork brought into limelight deaths offarmers while applying pesticides on

cotton crop.The information was brought to light

by Mr. Sarampalli Malla Reddy, StateSecretary of AP Raithu Sangham, who hadseen the hospital records showing deathscaused by spraying of pesticides.Commissioner of Agriculture, Mr.RajivSharma�s oral enquiries from hisdepartment sources in Warangal confirmedthis report. (Annex no. III)

To ascertain the authenticity of thereport, Toxics Link and Centre forResource Education visited the villages on23 and 24th October, 2001, along with Mr.Damoda r o f S a rvodaya You thOrganisation. Information was collectedfrom family members of the victims andalso from Mr.Vasudeva Reddy of APRaithu Sangham in Warangal district. Thevisit confirmed the deaths due to pesticidesspraying. A copy of the report is annexed(Annex no. IV).

Meanwhile, the issue was sidelined asone of over-zealousness of farmers andlack of understanding about handlingprocedures by the government agencies.This issue, still hasn�t merited the attentionof the government, media or civil society.Though the victim families were entitledto compensation under �Apathbandhu� 2

scheme of the government, it has notbeen granted. Detailed forensic reports areawaited from the Forensic Lab inHyderabad.

Preliminary discussions with farmers,local groups and journalists, revealed thatthere maybe similar incidences in otherdistricts and it is an annual phenomenon,especially where cotton is producedintensively, indicating that the problemmight be bigger than what is understood.

Based on the initial investigationand discussions, it was decided toconstitute a fact-finding team to bringout the facts surrounding theseincidents. The objectives of the visitwere:● To bring out the circumstances in which

the deaths and illness had happened.● To highlight the issue in civil society,

media and government.● To build the capacities of the local

medical doctors and civil society indealing with future occurrences.

● To enable the linking up of experiencesS o u r c e : w w w . a n d h r a p r a d e s h . c o m

Map of Warangal District

Mandals in which the villages surveyed are located11 � Hanamkonda 26 � Nekkonda 36 � Geesugonda 37 � Atmakur


PAGE 3

�For the first time in the

history of the world, every

human being is now

subjected to contact with

dangerous chemicals, from

the moment of conception

until death.�

Rachel Carson, SILENT SPRING,

1962

across India, so as to campaign forban of hazardous pesticides.

Qualitative methods like focused groupdiscussions, questionnaires were usedwhile conducting field investigations toensure uniform information collection andcredibility of the investigation. The factfinding team�s visit was not aimed at doinghealth study or in-depth scientificinvestigation, but to do an indicative studywhich would lead to a larger health study.

Dates of the visit14th � 16th January, 2002.

Villages visitedMogilicherla-Geesukonda Mandal;Akkam peta-Atmakur Mandal; Damera-Atmakur Mandal; Vasantapuram-Geesukonda Mandal; Mudu Thanda-Nekkonda Manda l ; Pa t t i p a aka -Sayampet Mandal.

Meetings with officials

Joint Collector of WarangalDistrict � 15th January, 2002Joint Director Agriculture � 15th

January, 2002Local doctors � IndianMedical Association - 16th

January, 2002

Footnote:1 100 kg = 1 quintal, 100 quintals= 1 tonne; 1 quintal ~ Rs.1, 500 �2,000/-

2 Under this scheme, rural peoplewho die of un-natural causes are providedc o m p e n s a t i o n b y t h e L i f e I n s u r a n c eCorporation. Every year, State governmentpays a fixed number of premiums to covert h e s e c o m p e n s a t i o n s . I t w a s i n i t i a l l yintended for snake-bite related deaths, buthas been extended to other causes as andwhen the government announces its policy.


PAGE 5

where exposed person had to undergotreatment. A systematic update andscrutiny of medical records fromhealthcare units in Warangal regionwould provide an accurate picture ofthe exact number of cases. This isb e c a u s e , b a s e d o n f i r s t - h a n dobservations from the field visits andthe intensity of cotton cultivation

1, it

is highly likely that there could bemany more unreported exposure casesand possibly unreported deaths in theperiod between August to December2001 and very large numbers couldhave been chronically affected. Theimpact levels vary widely due topoverty, social position, levels ofnutrition, and physiology of the personand exposure levels.

The most baffling fact that came tolight during the field visits was thetime period- September and October-within which most of the deaths andexposure occurred. According to thefarmers and even the governmentofficials this phenomenon has occurredfor the first time in the villages. Whileits now well established that deaths

OBSERVATIONS

s per state governmentrecords, there are twelveconf irmed deaths andforty cases of exposure,A and i l lness had occurred dur ing

pesticides spraying, it still needs to beinvest igated whether any of thebatches of pesticides were spuriousor not , s ince d i f ferent types ofpe s t i c i de s we re app l i ed by theaffected persons.

Almost all the affected persons hadsome experience in spraying and havebeen spraying the same or differentpesticides for the past many cropgrowing seasons. Some may havebeen inexperienced, but neverthelesswere guided by the older experiencedgeneration (parents). Majority of thepeople affected by pesticide exposurewere farm labourers working for theiremployers , and the others weremarginal farmers, with one to fiveacres of land holdings. The victimswere from an economically insecurebackground, with almost no coveragefor medical expenditure.

Symptoms and health effectsreported by farmers:Early symptoms included dizziness,fatigue, runny nose or eyes, salivation,nausea, intestinal discomfort, sweating,changes in heart rate, chest pain andrespiratory congestion, central nervoussystem stimulation and depression,

Rep

ort

of t

he F

act-

Fin

din

g T

eam

, Jan

uary

200

2

PAGE 6

OBSERVATIONS

d e r m a t i t i s , d i a r r h o e a , v i s u a ldisturbances, hepatic and renal injury,insomnia and mood changes, mucousmembrane irritation, muscle twitchingand shivering, abdominal pain andanorexia, vision problems, joint pain,hormonal disturbances, paralysis,peripheral neuropathy and weakness.In acute cases, paralysis, seizures, lossof consciousness, and death havebeen reported.

Medical treatment for the affectedpersons was mostly limited to oxygensupply and glucose drips. All thevictims approached nearby privatepractitioners (local RMPs - RegisteredMedical practitioners) initially. Acutecases were referred to MGM Hospitali n W a r a n g a l . A t r o p i n e w a sa d m i n i s t e r e d . O n e D o c t o r i nSayampet mandal headquarters (forabout 20 villages) reported that he hadmore than 140 cases in the months ofSeptember and October. He alsor e c e i v ed pa t i en t s i n ne a r f a t a lcondi t ion , who d ied soon af te radmittance in his clinic. Lesser fatalcases were treated for about a periodof three days and then discharged. Heconfirmed that the MGM Hospitalreceived many acute exposure casesin the same period.

Post mortem reports of 8 deathswere also examined. All the reportsmention that major organs showed�congestion� which, according todoctors , i s a c lear indicat ion ofexposure and poisoning cases.

Pesticides handling and sprayingpracticesVictims and other affected farmershave been mostly using a standardmixture of 50 ml ( ra re ly more)pesticide for every filling of the back-pack sprayer tank (16 Litre capacity).Most of them use manual sprayers,while some use motorised versions.Farmers have been using MethylParathion (Metacid), Cypermethrin,Endosulphan, Chlorpyriphos, Ekalux,Quinalphos, Avaunt and Tracer oncotton crops.

The following are the pesticidespraying and handling practices:● Normally, the pesticide is diluted

in water in a separate container andthe spray tank is continuously filledwhile the spraying is done. Usually thefilling of the spray tank is done bywomen workers.

● Spraying is either done with a pieceof cloth covering mouth and noseor without any covering. No otherprotection or safety measures areused.

● Mixing of two different pesticidesis very common practice amongstframers.

● On a field visit, the team chancedupon motorised spraying activity.The person spraying walks aheadand is constantly exposed to thespray he moves into it by the timeit settles. The helper (male orfema le ) a l so moves in to thesprayed area, as they continuouslyfill the tank. Thus, both the personsare exposed. Surprisingly, the jetblast brought the spray showerright to the point where the teamwas standing (about 8 feet away)and the strong odour persisted inthe entire vicinity � this coulddefinitely have a serious impact onthe entire agro-ecosystem 2, killingorganisms beneficial to farming.There is a strong possibility that insome cases the persons affectedwere helpers earlier, and have now

�graduated� to spraying (needsverification). In such a situation, theexposure is of a chronic andcontinuous nature.

● As the cotton crop is pesticideintensive, the quantity and toxicityof pesticide used increases as thesea son p rog re s s e s . Fa rmer s �expenditure consequently keepsincreasing.

● In the latter part of the season themature cotton crop equals theaverage height of a farmer. So theintensity of the spray would bemaximum and also at face-level.

● Women farm workers are at a riskof higher exposure as they fill thetanks while spraying as well aswhile plucking the cotton cropright after spraying. Sometimeswithin three to fours hours ofspraying.

● The canopy of the plant is thickerbecause of the full growth, whichprevents quicker dissipation of thet o x i c s p r a y . W h i l e � s l o w e r �dissipation is desired to kill thepests, it poses health hazard for theperson spraying pesticides.

● After pesticides exposure relateddeaths occurred in the villages,some of the farmers have startedexperimenting with tractor-mountedspraying to decrease the exposure to

The sprayer and his helper using a motorised backpack sprayer withoutwearing any protective gears to spray the cotton crop in the middle of noon.The strong spray jet reached the point where the Team was standing.


PAGE 7

There could be more than

500 deaths and more than

1000 exposed in the period

between August to

December 2001 in

Warangal district

the workers. But this crude methodof spraying can pose grave dangers notonly to the farm workers but also thesurrounding area, as the pesticides willbe spread widely over a larger surfacearea.Ironically, while investments on seeds

a n d p e s t i c i d e s h a v e i n c r e a s e dexponentially with the introduction ofnew types of seeds, and pesticides likeAvaunt and Tracer, the cotton yield isgradual ly decreasing. As farmerspurchase their agricultural inputs,including pesticides, in credit systemsthere is a strong possibility of farmerdeaths by suicides, simply because ofincrease in debt margins and povertylevels.

The state government is yet to takeserious cognisance of the tragic deathsand instead seems to be placing theonus of the problem on a mere caseof improper handling and lack ofadequate precautions. It is to benoted that these farmers havebeen using pesticides over a longperiod of time and are not new toits applications. In a meeting withthe Joint Collector, Warangal district,t h e t e am was a s su r ed o f moreeducat ional programmes for thefarmers not merely on pesticide usebut also on alternative non-chemicaland biological methods. In reality, thefact that pesticides are highly toxicsubstances and its usage in general needsa serious rethinking at various levels ofgovernance, right up to the policy level.

ConclusionsA highly grievous situation persists in thedistricts of Warangal caused by chemicalpesticides. Farmers are dying in increasingnumbers and deaths are immediate orgradual. After more than ten years ofcontinued usage, the consequences arenow being made obvious by theseincidences in this cotton-growing seasonfrom September to March 2001.Particularly every September is going to becrucial, because spraying and consequentdeaths are also going to be severe.Although, the exact causes of death andcausalities (especially in the months ofSeptember and October) has not beenarrived at, the circumstances of death seem

to give a clear indication of the fact thatpesticide spraying has affected largenumbers farmers in many parts ofWarangal district. After analysing thevarious reasons of causation offered bythe different stakeholders the team believesthat the above statement is the mostplausible explanation.

Chemical pesticides are graduallybecoming ineffective against pests and asa result the toxicity level of the chemicalsare being increased. Placing emphasis onthe experience of the medical communityin Warangal, it is expected that suchexposure cases are bound to increase everyyear. And, ominously, most people are notaware of their �threshold� levels.

An in-depth health study needs toconducted, not only in Warangal butalso in neighbouring Guntur district,where pest ic ides consumption ishighest in the country. This assessmentshould include health impacts onwomen and children in particular andshould also encompass other specificsocial sections like farm labourers andmarginal farmers. Such an assessmentshould also include socio-economicimpacts of affected families and thestrategies adopted by these familiesto cope with the additional burden ofmanaging their livelihoods caused bythe deteriorating health conditions anddeath of the men folk.

Complacency is prevalent in theGovernment, agricultural researchinstitutions and pesticide companies.It is urged that the Government andpesticide companies provide all formsof support to he lp the fami l i esovercome these tragic deaths.

In view of the negative impact ofpesticides, there is a growing need forecologically safe and sustainable methodsof agriculture, promotion of organiccotton production and integrated pestmanagement, which would make farmingless pesticide-intensive.

On the ba s i s o f p r e l im ina r yinvestigation by the team, taking intoaccount two to three deaths and more than5 to 10 cases of exposure in villages visitedand increase in the acreage under cottonthis year to all m a n d a l s in the district, it isestimated that there could be more than500 deaths in Warangal district, and more

Rep

ort

of t

he F

act-

Fin

din

g T

eam

, Jan

uary

200

2

PAGE 8

than 1000 exposed in the period betweenAugust to December 2001. This needsto be further investigated to get the correctestimates.

Priorities to ensure prevention offurther causalities● Initiation of education and counselling

programmes for farmers and farmlabourers in Warangal district onorganic agriculture (especially cotton)in association with the civil society andgovernment institutions.

● A detailed investigation into similarexperiences elsewhere in the countryand a formulation of a comprehensive

national pesticide policy that wouldfocus on rational use of pesticides,control and strict monitoring ofaccessibility to such dangerouschemicals and gradual phase-out ofchemical pesticides.

Footnote:1 Cotton this year is now being cultivated inall the mandals of Warangal district. However,the intensity is more in mandals near Warangaltown and other major urban centres.

2 The absence of birds was noticed. However,the impacts on ecosystem need a more in-depth investigation.

OBSERVATIONS


PAGE 9

narrated in this section. It was apparentfrom the visit that the situation onthe ground was graver than reported inthe media and by the governmentagencies.

Village: MOGILICHERLA,GEESUKONDA MANDAL

Moglicherla is a relatively large village witha population of more than 1000 families.Almost 90 percent of agricultural land inthis village is under cotton crop. In thisvillage, the fact-finding team�s interactionswere facilitated by the Sarpanch, whoaccompanied them to the houses of allthe victim families. The team talked tofamily members of two persons who dieddue to pesticide exposure. Both of themwere farm labourers and have beenworking in the fields of their employers.

Bela Shankar, a victim, was 22 years old. Hehad about one year of experience in spraying.On the fateful day, he sprayed Cypermethrinfor about 4 hours. Experiencing stomach painand general weakness he returned home. Thefollowing day he was found unconscious on the

FIELD NOTES

n its field trip, the fact-finding team came acrossvarious new informationand findings which areO bed. He was taken to the hospital and died there

after two days.

Discussions with villagersSarojana, 35 yrs: Posses their own land. Sheaccompanies her husband to the cotton field andassists him while he does spraying. She getsfrequent fevers. After spraying for about 1-2weeks she gets fever, skin rashes and spots. Doesnot have any gynaecological problem.

Shantha, 70 yrs (mother-in-law of Sarojana):Posses 10 acres of land which have beendistributed amongst the three sons. Initially usedto grow paddy and maize but have now shifted tocotton. Never used pesticides earlier, however havestarted using it because neighbours are using it.Feels that women used to be much healthier earlierthan now, they could work longer in the fieldsbut now young women these days have nostamina. There has hardly been any cotton thisyear, no cotton flowers, as the plants wereattacked by the bollworm.

Hanumaiah, 45 yrs (Sarojana�s husband andShantha�s son): Has rashes on his legs�doesn�tknow the reason. If he works in the field andsprays for three hours he feels sick. Sprays weeklyfor 7 months. The pesticides are used in thefollowing order � Monocrotophos, Chloro-pyriphos, Curacron, Endosulphan. These daysnew pesticides used are Avaunt (Dupont) and

Rep

ort

of t

he F

act-

Fin

din

g T

eam

, Jan

uary

200

2

PAGE 10

Empty pesticides cans are used as water containers for washing face,hand, in toilets, sweeping floors, as oil lamps in the kitchens and latersold off to local waste dealers in exchange of onions.

FIELD NOTES

Tracer (DeNocil). Purchases pesticides fromlocal shop in the village, no safety instructionsare g iven by the shopkeepers . Companyrepresenta-tives come to advertise a pesticide butgive no instructions on safety and handling.

N Rajitha, 25 yrs: Had a miscarriage aftergoing to the maize field and working the wholeday. She was three months pregnant at thattime. Doesn�t have any gynaecological problemsince then. Had a normal delivery before hersecond pregnancy.

Suraya, 30 yrs: Family owns 5 acres of land.Showed the 35 bags of cotton lying in his store.Because of low rates, nothing has been sold.Has been growing cotton for 12 yrs. Usuallywraps cloth around the face while spraying.

Radha, 29 yrs (Suraya�s wife): She has twosons and one daughter. While pregnant, shehad appendicitis and had to be operated. Shesaid she had sores in her uterus and uterus hadto be removed.

Madhavi, 13 yrs, (Radha�s daughter): Hasirregular menstruation cycle. She works in thefields, also helps during spraying and uses noprotective gear. After spraying sessions she feelsdizzy.

Samakka, 40 yrs, (Suraya�s brother�s wife):Helps Suraya in the fields. Her husband divorcedher because she couldn�t conceive after their firstchild. Tried to have kids for almost 2 yrs aftertheir son�s death. Accompanied her husband tothe field. They had shifted to cotton crop becauseof lack of water. She used to help duringspraying pesticides and still helps her brother-in-law. They used to spray continuously. After therecent death in the village government officialscame and gave instructions on proper handlingand spraying of pesticides. Claims that masksare worn now.

Usually the menfolk mix the pesticides forspraying and don�t use hands but sticks to mixthem. Daily labourers get Rs 70 per day. Deathand exposure occurred only in September becausefarmers resorted to more spraying due to themassive pest attack.

General observations:Post-use pesticides cans (plastic and metal)in every household is being used forvarious purposes � for carrying water totoilets, washing face and hand, storing

water, cleaning house etc. Also used as oillamps. The empty cans after the pesticideshave been used, are filled with cow dungand kept for one week and then washedand used. The villagers claim that the cowdung acts as a cleansing agent and absorbsthe left over pesticides. The cans are latersold off to local waste dealers in exchangefor onions.

Village: AKKAMPETA,ATMAKUR MANDAL

1500 acres of land in the village is undercultivation, of which most of it is undercotton. Earl ier chi l l i , maize andgroundnut were grown, only in the last30 years there has been a shift to cotton.Water is scarce. The primary source ofwater for the village is from Sriram Sagar,but the infrastructure to supply water tothe village is non-existent. To add to thewoes is the prevalence of duplicate seedsin the market. (Farmers mentioned namesof some of the seed companies - Bunnyseeds, Bishma and Excel).

Most commonly used pesticidesinclude, Methyl parathion (Metacid � aBaye r p roduc t ) , Cype rme th r i n ,Endosulphan, Chlorpyriphos, Ekalux,Quinalphos and Avaunt. Farmers reportedthat Avaunt usage caused flower buds to

be stunted, attracted �white mosquitoes�and crops turned reddish.

Focused Group Discussion with bothmen and women of the v i l l age .(Approximately 50 people)

The victim, Enakunthala Ravi, was a migrantlabourer and his death occurred while sprayingMetacid. He has left behind a wife with a child,and no other assets. He died in the hospitalwhile under treatment. Ravi�s wife makes beedis.Ravi was a farm labourer and had been sprayingfor last 10 years. But this year was the first timehe sprayed Metacid. After spraying for an hour,he came back home, fell unconscious and wastaken to the MGM hospital at Warangal. Hewas under treatment for one day and died thenext day. Ravi�s symptoms were: vomiting,tongue thickness, giddiness, shivering.

Spraying-related healthproblems

After spraying activity, vomiting sensation,itching, fever, uneasiness in stomach, andtongue thickening was exhibited. Generalweakness and a continued feeling ofweakness since the last 10 years, inabilityto lift heavy objects, loss of appetite.Particularly after spraying Ekalux, farmersfound it difficult to stand in direct sunlight.In some cases masks are used, however


PAGE 11

A highly grievous situation

persists in the districts of

Warangal caused by

chemical pesticides.

Farmers are dying in

increasing numbers and

deaths are immediate or

gradual

sweat washes the chemicals into whilespraying.

Discussions with villagersNarsaiya, 27 yrs, male: Being a farm labourer,he has been working in the field and sprayingpesticides for about 5-6 years. On that particularday, he was applying Ekalux continuously fora day and he felt drowsy and sick and was treatedin the hospital for 6 days.

Observations amongst the oldergenerationIn the earlier years there were no significanthealth problems. But recently, complaintsregarding body itching, and poor vision (possiblyalso due to old age) have been increasing. The�new� pests attacking cotton are �rose colouredworms� and the buds on the cotton plants showspots. There has been a decrease in milk yieldfrom cattle. The farmers attribute it to pesticidespraying (it is believed that the cattle consumepesticide-laden fodder or graze near farms wherepesticides are being sprayed which has led to lowermilk yields). Pesticides used earlier wereGamaxene (BHC) and Sevin.

Other findings● Farmers observed that pests are

growing resistant to pesticides.● The ag r i cu l tu re o f f i c e r g ave

instructions for safe spraying only afterthe death of a farmer in September.

● Usually farmers emulate what the otherfarmer (or neighbour) does and thechoice of pesticide is also by word-of-mouth. The instructions written onthe labels are not followed.

● Companies whose representativescome to the village during croppingseason are Bayer, Dhanuka, Rallis,Nuvacron, Voltas, Excel and Dupont.

● Usually pesticides are mixed andapplied. For instance, Monocrotophos+ Chlorpyriphos or Monocrotophos+ Cypermethrin

● Either pesticide shopkeepers tell themto mix pesticides or they do itthemselves from experience or practicewhat their neighbours do.

Interestingly, four farmers have shiftedaway from pesticide-intensive cottonfarming and are adopting biologicalcontrol of pests and non-chemicalmethods of pest management. According

to them, this method has shownsignificant control over pests andhas yielded about 5 to 6 quintalsper acre. Further, the investmentthat went into bio-controlmethods such as NPV (refer latersections) was a mere Rs.600 peracre which is just 10% of theinvestment made in pesticideintensive methods (Rs. 6000 peracre). This initiative by one farmerseems to be catching on to theother farmers present at thediscussion. They were stronglyconsidering these methods in thenext season.

Discussions with women

8-10 women within the age group of 20-52 yrs (though majority of the womenpresent were above the age of 40 yrs) tookpart in the discussion.

● Majority were married before attainingthe age of puberty, had children at theearly age of 15 yrs and usually havemore than 3 children

● They drink traditional home-madepotion of chillies, ginger, and milkbefore and after the delivery forstrength and better lactation.

● Breast-feeding was done for a period1-3 years

● Menstrual cycles resumed 1-2 yearsafter delivery (condition known asamenorrhoea5 ), though all of themsaid they started menstruating by theage of 12/13yrs.

● Most women work in the cotton fieldsand are present during spraying.

● Most women complained of heavywhite discharge, which could be dueto some problem in the uterus orUrinary Tract Infection. This can beascertained only after thorough healthinvestigation.

Mangala, 40 yrs, Midwife: Mangala hasoverseen the delivery of over 100 babies. Shethinks its normal not to menstruate for 6 monthsto a year after delivery and added that there area fewer normal deliveries these days. There ism o re pain and bleeding during delivery. Herknowledge about miscarriages was limited andshe said she wasn�t aware of any.

Rep

ort

of t

he F

act-

Fin

din

g T

eam

, Jan

uary

200

2

PAGE 12

Village: DAMERA, ATMAKURMANDAL

A slightly better developed village wheretwo deaths and 15 poisoning cases werereported. It is believed that some of thosewho recovered are however not able tolead a completely normal life.

Wife of Pidugu Sammaiah (45 yrs)The family owned five acres of land and thevictim had quite a few years of experience inspraying pes t i c ides . On the fate fu l day ,Sammaiah sprayed Curacron for about twohours. After resting for a while, he started feelinguneasy and giddy. After a bath, his situationworsened and he vomited and had frequentmotions. He was taken to the nearest hospital,where he was given oxygen and administered IVfluids. There was not much improvement in hiscondition and so the next day he was hospitalisedin MGM Hospital in Warangal. Three daysinto treatment he died.

Father of Penta Komaraiah (25 yrs): Heis yet another victim who was a farm labourerworking on yearly contract. While he wasspraying Profenophos he was exposed and died.He is survived by his wife and three children.His employer tried to alleviate the suffering byproviding some cash compensation.

Discussions with villagersThere were several other youngsters whounderwent treatment for the symptomsthey developed while spraying. All theseincidents were reported in the month ofSeptember. Normally all of them sprayedby using a towel to cover their mouth andnose, with no other protective clothing orprecaution. They were spraying singlepesticide without mixing with any otherand usually followed the normal dilutionprocedures (20 to 50 ml per spray tank of16 litres of water).

Village: VASANTAPURAM,GEESUKONDA MANDAL

The village has a population of about 3000people and the land under cultivation isabout 500 acres. Crops cultivated are cotton(90%), chilli, groundnut, and maize. In ageneral group discussion at the Sarpanch�soffice, it was found that, though there wereno deaths, cases of exposure and

consequent treatment were many (10 cases).Further, doctors� prescriptions revealed thatmost of the poisoning cases occurredwithin a gap of a few days in mid-September (around the 19th).

Discussions with villagersFather of Ravi (25 yrs): Ravi had beenspraying for 3 days continuously from 10 am-4pm and was using a mixture of Curacron andEkalux. Ravi used goggles and helmets whilespraying. As he was literate he could read theinstructions on the labels. On the 4th day ofspraying he fell sick with headache, fever,shivering and he was admitted to the hospitaland discharged after one day. He fell sick againwithin a couple of days and was again admittedand remained unconscious. For 2 days he wasadministered many injections (probably ofatropine). He remained in hospital for 10 days.Though he could recognise people, he did nottalk. Parents assumed he was dying and inform e drelatives. However, surprisingly, he finally startedtalking, but incoherently and in a deliriousfashion. Back at the village, he behaved veryabnormally for 2-3 days and even beat up people.Now he is normal. Ravi�s father is emotionallydisturbed and vows to avoid pesticides in future.He also mentioned that at the time his son wasin hospital there were more than 130 similarcases in the month of September 2001 alone.Others in different villages corroborated thisaccount.

Nindaiah (32yrs): For 10 years he has beenspraying pesticides and has 2 acres of land onwhich he grows cotton. Exposure occurred inAugust. He went to the field at 9 am and wasusing a mixture of Ekalux and Acetaph. After2 hours of spraying came back for a meal. Hefelt drowsy and started nauseating. Othersymptoms were shivering, a burning sensationin the stomach, itching, muscular twitching,and watery eyes. He was admitted at the MGMhospital and was treated for 4 days. (Expensesincurred in the hospital Rs. 1500). He stillfeels weak. Normally he uses face protectionwith a piece o f c loth while spraying. Noagriculture officer gives instructions on safehandling or spraying of pesticides, sometimesshopkeepers tell them. After the cases werereported the agricul ture o f f i cer providedinstructions for washing hands and warned notto smoke while spraying.

Babu Rao (30 yrs): Owns 4 acres of land andgrows cotton and has also been spraying pesticidesfor last 6 years. Exhibited symptoms ofexposure after using Metacid and Acetaphmixture. Symptoms included vomiting, shiveringand nausea. Underwent treatment at MGMhospital for 4 days. After discharge he was onmedication for 10 days. Doctors advised himnot to go out into the sun for 15 days eventhough fully recovered. After the incident, he ispractising tractor mounted spraying (others inthe village follow suit, however using tractors for

Group discussion with victim�s families and farmers in progress. Most victimswere experienced sprayers and have been spraying for 4-5 years.

FIELD NOTES


PAGE 13

spraying purposes destroys atleast 2 rows ofcotton)

Narasaiah (45 yrs): He is an agriculturallabourer who was affected after spraying for 3hours. As he started feeling sick the landownerasked him to go home and wash. After returninghome he couldn�t talk and his tongue becamethick. Underwent treatment at the MGMhospital for 3 days. He couldn�t recognise peopleduring this period and was on medication for 15days. Now he practices tractor mounted spraying.

General discussionThe Sarpanch commented that due to hotconditions, people sweat while sprayingand pesticides gets absorbed in the body.Now, most farmers in this village arespraying pesticide from a tractor-mountedsprayer with some protection gear for theirhead. This means they would lose severalrows of cotton plants and have to expendmore on renting a tractor. They feel this isa necessary expenditure. To a questionabout the efficacy of such methods, theyreplied in the circumstances that is the only�solution�.

Discussions with women5 women in the age range: 19 years(unmarried grand daughter) to 75 years.● All of them married around 12 yrs and

started having children at the age of14 -16 years.

● One of them, Manimma (37 years) hadher first child at the age of 21 years.

● Most of the women in the village workin the field and are mainly involved inplucking cotton. Cotton is pluckedright after or one day after the sprayingis done.

● Many women have gynaecologicalproblems, uterus sores; uteruses havebeen removed in many women (needsverification)

● Bhagya (33 years), complained of chestpain and pain in the breast afterspraying and has been feeling sick forlast 2-3 years.

Village: MUDU THANDA,NEKKONDA MANDAL

This is a lambada hamlet and the victimwas a farm labourer working in the landof another farmer in the nearby village.

While he was spraying, hedeveloped extreme symptoms ofgiddiness and was unconsciouson the farm itself. He gainedconsciousness after two days inthe hospital, but died afterwards.He has left behind his old parents,wife and children. His father isnow wary of pesticide usage oncotton and others in the hamletare also contemplating avoidingpesticide usage but said they don�thave a choice.

Village: PATTIPAAKA,SAYAMPET MANDAL

Pattipaka is a large village where one personPendasala Bikshapati (28 yrs) had diedafter spraying on 2 acres of land owned bythe family. He died even before he wastaken to the hospital.

Bikshapati�s father: He informed that hisson died in October while using a mixture ofMonocrotophos and Ekalux. He had sprayingexperience since 17yrs of age, but this was thefirst he was affected. He was spraying sincemorning (10 am) on the fateful day and around4 pm felt sick and fell down near the farm andwas taken to a private nursing home.

There were 2 other cases � a labourer anda farmer � who were affected after sprayingfor about 2 to 4 hours.

Malla Reddy, the farmer, is suffering fromnervous disorders. In addition, sometimes hebehaves like an Alzheimer�s patient, failing toremember what he says or does. He has seriousnervous system related disorders. He is 28 and isimpotent. Interesting, this was the first case ofimpotency that was reported. There might bemany more such unreported cases.

General observations

● No instructions were given before theincidents, only after deaths, agricultureofficers came to the village.

● Nobody wears masks or any protectivegears while spraying.

● For last 15 years, cotton is being grownin the village and normal height ofcotton is 3-4 feet, but this year it is 5-6 feet. The yield however is very low.

Villagers in Mudu Thanda,

scared after death of a

farm labourer are

contemplating shifting to

non-pesticide agriculture

Rep

ort

of t

he F

act-

Fin

din

g T

eam

, Jan

uary

200

2

PAGE 14

Discussions with womenAbout 40-50 women were present at thediscussion and aged between 18-60 years.● All women go to the field to pluck

cotton during and after spraying. Whilespraying they also fill the spray can withwater from behind.

● General health problems includedrowsiness, pain in legs, joints,eyesight problems, and headache. Aperennial feeling of illness persists,even while not spraying.

● Wo m e n t a l k e d a b o u t m a n ymiscarriages occurring in the village6

and instances of breast cancer.Women go to the field while pregnant.One woman was present who wastreated for breast cancer and her leftbreast had been removed. Women saidthere were 3 other cases of breast cancerin the village. A total of 4 breast cancercases in a population of 6000.

● Women complained of sores in theuterus. Women reported that manyof them had to get their uterusremoved. Numbers of such case notknown.

● Women complained about abnormalwhite discharge.

● Wo m e n t a l k e d a b o u t n o tmenstruating from 6 months-2 yearsafter delivery.

● Two women complained about

problems in conceiving.● Every time after spraying, women have

to take injections in the evening. Butthis could not be verified.

● According to the women there were130 exposure cases in this village.

Shobha (18 yrs): A case of miscarriage.When she was 3 months into pregnancy, sheworked in the field filling water in the sprayer.After coming home from the field she hadmiscarriage. She has miscarried twice within ashort time period.

Padma: A woman with 2 children who did notmenstruate after delivery of her first child andafter conception of the second child. She haspainful menstruation and spends Rs. 50-100every month on medicines.

Mangla (25yr s ) : She hasn � t s ta r t edmenstruating after 1 and half years of herdelivery. Has lot of pain every month but noperiods. She feels drowsy, and has often lostconsciousness.

Meetings with GovernmentOfficials

Discussions with Mr. Muralidhar Rao,Joint Director of Agriculture, Warangaland Mr. Shankara iah , Pest ic idesControlling Officer, Office of the JDA.

Warangal district contributes 34% ofthe cotton crop (1,73,000 ha) producedfrom Andhra Pradesh, while Gunturdistrict contributes the maximum.Therefore it is not very surprising thatAndhra Pradesh consumes the maximumamount of pesticides in the country.Given this fact, the JDA office claimed tohave taken steps to warn against pesticideover-usage by running a campaign to createawareness amongst farmers on thedangers of spraying pesticides, especiallybetween 10.00 am to 4.00 pm. Further,the farmer clubs in each village have beensupplied with a set of protective gear and1000 such sets and many pamphlets onprecautions have been distributed to thefarming communities. All these steps havebeen taken after the September - Octoberincidences, according to the officials.

According to Mr. Muralidhar Rao, themain reasons for these deaths in thisparticular year are as follows:● Tremendous increase in acreage under

cotton● Increase in plant height � it is

explained that inadequate rains havecaused the failure in blooming of thecotton buds and this has resulted inthe growth hormones increasing theplant height more than a couple offeet than the normal height of 3½ feet.Owing to this farmers have to spray ateye level which would blow thechemical back on their faces whensprayed in the opposite direction ofthe wind.

● Dras t i c i n c r e a s e i n day t imetemperatures � this would have insome way affected the farmer whenspraying at midday.

● Spraying under the influence of liquor,gutkha (chewing tobacco) or cigarettes.Mr . Shanka r a i ah , Pe s t i c i d e s

Controlling Officer, said the departmentdoes periodic testing of samples ofpesticides taken from various outlets.Companies whose products fall short ofstandards (variations in the main activeingredient) are penalised. This year, 10samples were found to be �misbranded�and the respective companies haverequested re-analysis of the samples. Theprocess is still on.

As far as the general trend with respect

Women complained of gynecological problems-miscarriages, uterusabnormalities, menstrual irregularities, problems in conceiving; giddiness;pain in legs and joints, cited cases of breast cancer.

FIELD NOTES


PAGE 15

to pesticide use was concerned, Mr.Shankaraiah said that there is a definiteincrease in use over the last few years.Notably farmers are even prepared topurchase expensive pesticides in thepromise of a pest-free crop and high yields.(See annex. VI & VII)

Discussions with doctors fromthe Indian Medical Association,Warangal

The team met with local Doctors throughthe Indian Medical Association at Warangaland sought clarifications on a number ofissues. There was general consensus onthe nature of such pesticide exposuredeaths in the rural parts of Warangal.Doctors said that they were now noticingincreasing number of abnormal babiesbeing born and convulsions in children.Doctors were of the opinion that theproblems of women (miscarriages, cancer,and menstrual cycles, cysts, etc.) could bedue to exposure to pesticides, but couldnot be confirmed without a proper healthinvestigation. They added that pesticidescould be an aggravating factor to many ahealth problems seen in the rural farmingcommunities. They were unanimous insaying that pesticides are harmful to natureand human be ings , and as suchalternatives have to be found for suchpractices.

Some key points mentioned by theIMA representatives:● Everyday the Mahatma Gandhi

Government Hospital gets about 8�10 cases with symptoms of pesticidepoisoning.

● Increased cases of convulsions inchildren aged between 5-12 yrs inrural areas of Warangal � termed�Warangal Convulsions� - since its aunique health problem beingobserved in the region.

● Increased number of deformedbabies (limbs) being born (IMAmaintains records of this and hasoffered to share information)

● Gynaecological problems in womenlike heavy white discharge are commonin the area due to unhygienicconditions and consequently fungalinfection

● Sores in the uterus can be due to ulcer

in cervical, cervical erosion.● Amenorrhoea is normal for

lactating women even up to 2years if she is breast-feedingregularly.

● Chronic (and sometimesa c u t e ) e x p o s u r e t oorganophosphate pesticidescould lead to Amenorrhoeaand subsequent infertility.

● A n a e m i a i n w o m e naggravates the health problemswhen they are exposed topesticides.

● IMA has offered assistance onany future health studies bysharing information.

● IMA is prepared to release a pressstatement on the hazards of pesticideuse.

Discussion with Mr. Jalapathi Rao,Agricultural Research Station (Bio-controlLaboratory), Warangal

The Agricultural Research Station atWarangal specialises in developing hybridpest-resistant varieties for paddy and othercrops. Significantly, it also hosts theregion�s biological control laboratory,which researches into non-chemical,alternative methods of pest control.

The types of biological control usedinclude:● Nuclear PolyhedroVirus (NPV)● Trichograma (egg parasite)● Trichoderma viridi (bio-fungicide)

The NPV method involves the use of apreparation from the bollworm insectwherein farmers supply the bollwormsinfesting the fields, which is converted intoa paste-like extract. This paste when appliedto the cotton crop would attract the pestwhich consumes it and gets killed. This isa non-chemical process and is an ideal �win-win situation� where the farmer barters hispest for more of the extract, doublybenefiting in pest control.

The Trichograma sp. feeds voraciouslyon the eggs of the bollworm. TheTrichograma is cultured in the laboratoryand its eggs (coated on chart paper) areleft in the farm. When the eggs hatch, thehatchlings feed on the eggs of the

Official excuse �Spraying under

the influence of liquor, gutkha

(chewing tobacco) and cigarettes�.

The issue is being sidelined as one

of over-zealousness of farmers and

lack of understanding about

handling procedures by the

government agencies

Rep

ort

of t

he F

act-

Fin

din

g T

eam

, Jan

uary

200

2

PAGE 16

bollworm thereby controlling theirpopulations.

Trichoderma viridi is a fungal pathogen(disease-causing) whose formulation canbe directly applied to the field by mixing itwith farmyard manure to effectivelycontrol cotton pests.

In Practice

In Atmakur mandal and in a few otherareas, some farmers have taken to suchmethods and have seen the benefits.Further, the investment in such form ofbiological pest control is merely 10% ofthe investment made on chemicalapplication (refer earlier section onindividual villages)

FIELD NOTES

Footnote:1 Amenorrhoea is the absence of menstrualperiods. Primary amenorrhoea is the conditionof never having had a period by the latest age atwhich menstruation usually starts (18 years);secondary amenorrhoea is the cessation ofmenstruation after at least one period. Somecauses are pregnancy; menopause; breast-f eed ing ; exces s ive d i e t ing o r anorex i a ,starvation, heavy athletic training, especiallyduring early adolescence, a congenital defectof the genital tract, hormone imbalance, cystsor tumours; chronic il lness, chromosomalabnormalities, stress, or emotional factors.

Of t en amenor rhoea i s c aused by acombination of several of these factors. Sincea m e n o r r h o e a i s f r e q u e n t s y m p t o m o finfertility, medical textbooks and practitionerspay considerably more attention to it than topre-menstrual problems or painful periods,although the latter two are far more common(Pp 283*). After giving birth, it takes time forthe body to begin ovulating and menstruatingagain. The length of time it takes depends on

whether a woman is breast-feeding or not;it will take longer for women who breast-feed than for women who do not. (Pp 308,Our bod i e s , Our s e l v e s - Fo r t h e n ew c en tu r y ,A B o o k b y a n d F o r W o m e n ; T h e B o s t o nW o m e n � s H e a l t h B o o k C o l l e c t i v e ; 1 9 9 8e d i t i o n*

2 A study conducted by University of NorthCarolina, February 2001, found that foetal deathsare almost twice as likely among pregnantwomen in California farming communitieswho live near areas where certain pesticideswere sprayed. Deaths appeared to be a resultof exposure during the first trimester ofpregnancy. These findings are relevant todeveloping countries where regulation ofchemical application is less stringent and whereeven more dangerous chemicals banned in thedeveloped world are still used in agriculturaldisease control. The State of Wor l d Popu l a t i o n2001, Footprints and Milestones: Population andEnvironmental Change, PP 46, United NationsPopulation Fund (UNFPA)


PAGE 17

Statement showing the persons who are hospitalized due to improper sprayingSource: Joint Director Agriculture, Warangal District

S.No. Name of the farmer Village Mandal Date of DischargeAdmission

1. Nagaboina Ravi Dharmaram Geesugonda 27-9-01 02.10.012. Manda Ravi Kuntapalli Sangam 24-9-01 30-9-013. Durishetty Srinivas Damera Atmaku 26-9-01 �4. Changati Ilaiah Mamnoor Hanamkonda 26-9-01 �5. Manda Mogili Mutyalapalli Atmakur 26-9-01 �6. Mir Ameeruddin Seetampet Hasanparthy 26-9-01 �7. Allam Narsingam Neerkulla Atmakur 26-9-01 �8. Yedla Suresh Kothapeta Hanamkonda 26-9-01 28-9-019. Telledla Sambaiah Lingamadugupally Atmakur 25-9-01 �10. Kammapati Nagaraju Mutyalpalli Atmakur 25.9.01 �11. Nagarapu Kumaraswamy Neerukulla Atmakur 26-9-01 �12. Sola Cheralu Ashalapalli Sangam 25-9-01 28-9-0113. Tella Rajkumar Venkatadripet Ghanpur (S) 28-9-01 01-10-0114. Md. Aleemuddin Chandraiahpalli Geesgonda 28-9-01 �15. Gujila Rajeswar Rao Venkatapur Atmakur 29-9-01 �16. Gundekari Raju Mulkalagudem Hanamkonda 29-9-01 2-10-0117. Mundrathi Ashok Pulukurthy Atmakur 29-9-01 2-10-0118. Kaderi Raju Rampur Dharmasagar 24-9-01 27-9-0119. Ankasarapu Kishan Pulukurthy Atmakur 24-9-01 27-9-0120. Mancha Raju Mulkalagudem Hanamkonda 3-10-01 4-10-0121. Badapu Pandu Malkapur Ghanpur(S) 5-10-01 �22. S. Vijaykumar Koppula Parkal 5-10-01 �23. Ambati Ganesh Damera Atmakur 4-10-01 �24. Botla Kirankumar Mogilicherla Geesgonda 4-10-01 6-10-0125. Nala Veeranna Katrapalli Sangem 4-10-01 �26. Madugula Kumaraswamy �do� �do� 3-10-01 �27. Meda Suraiah Neerukulla Atmakur 5-10-01 �28. Dandu Swamy L.Madgupalli �do� 5-10-01 7-10-0129. Kanukunta Bixapathi Oglapur �do� 2-10-01 5-10-0130. Kotaboina Kumaraswamy Chintanekonda 2-10-01 5-10-01

Parvatagiri31. Ellula Ravi Vunikicherla Dharmasagar 4-10-01 6-10-01

32. N. Veeranna Katrapalli Sangem 4-10-01 6-10-01

33. G. Sreenu Gundenge Gudur 3-10-01 6-10-01

34. Bonth Kishan Kileshaour Ghanapur 3-10-01 5-10-01

35. Shalura Lingamurthy Gavicherla Sangem 4-10-01 6-10-01

36. Veesam Vijayakumar Reddy Hasanparthy Hasanparthy 5-10-01 6-10-01S.No.

Annexure I

continued...

Rep

ort

of t

he F

act-

Fin

din

g T

eam

, Jan

uary

200

2

PAGE 18

Name of the farmer Village Mandal Date of Discharge

Admission

37. Iannu Balaraju Kuntapalli Sangem 7-10-01 �

38. Bhukya Sukya Muskarpalli �do� 7-10-01 �

39. Kashapaka Sambaiah Yellapur Hasanparthy 7-10-01 �

40. Pyndla Venkanna Kakkiralapelli Wardenapet 7-10-01 �

Deaths

41. Pidugu Sammaiah Damera Atmakur 6/9/01

42. Penta Komuraiah Damera Atmakur 8/9/01

43. Moodu Hatya Chandragonda Nekkonda 17/9/01

44. Enakathala Ravi Akkampeta Atmakur 19/9/01

45. Musuku RajiReddy Upparigudem Kodakanda 25/9/01

46. Thumma Arogya Reddy Parkashreddypally Hanamkonda 16/9/01

47. Korukonda Yella Goud Alankaripet � 26/9/01

48. Pendial Bixpathi Pattipaka Sahaympet 21/10/01

49. Seeraboina Gummaiah Gunjedu Kothagudem 20/10/01

50. Chunchunagaiah Viacherla Gudur 31/10/01

51. Mutuku Anjaiah �- Zafargadh 11/10/01

52. Gaddala Raju Vanamala Kanparthy Hanamkonda 15/12/01

ANNEXURE I


PAGE 19

The Andhra Pradesh Farmers Association has submitted the following list of deceased farmers to theDistrict Collector.

Name Village District (mandal)

Penta Komaraiyya Damera Atmakur

Pidugu Samaiya Damera Atmakur

Enukatala Ravinder Akkamseta Atmakur

Bela Shanker Mugulicherla Eesugonka

Tumma Arogya Reddy Prakashreddypeta Hanmakonda

Potareju Sabaiyya Dasaripalle Narsampeta

Muudu Hatiya Gollapella Nekkonda

Komakonda Yella goud Alankanipeta Nekkonda

Neelam Saraiya Aasu vella Sangem

Ragula Aamlayya Kattuvalla Sangem

Mere Rajinder Aasuvalla Sangem

Bhara Vushpa Chelpuru Mulughu Ghanalka

Kodichinnanarasaiyya Evuru Gudur

Raji Reddy Utturugudan Kodakondla

Kare Srinivas Hasanvarte -

Chinnasamaiyya Elur Nagaram -

Tejavat Jagura Perumarla Sankeesa Dornakal

Mettuka Anjayya JaffarGard Jaffergad

Veerakaluna Samaiya Gunjedu Gudur

Pendiala Biskshapati Pattipaaka Saayampeta

Annexure II

Rep

ort

of t

he F

act-

Fin

din

g T

eam

, Jan

uary

200

2

PAGE 20

List submitted by Andhra Pradesh Farmers Association (Raithu Sangam) as part of a Memorandum to theChief Minister

AP Raithu Sangham submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, dated 25th September, 2001, aboutdeaths of farmers while spraying pesticides, due to the widespread attack on cotton crop by pests. The list of farmers who died wasgiven, all in Warangal district:

1. Penta Komaraiah, Age 30, Village Damera, Mandal, Atmakur, date of death 8.9.012. Pidugu Sammaiah, 45, Damera, Atmakur, 8.9.013. Enukuthala Ravi, 25, Akkampeta, Atmakur, 19.9.014. Sambasiva Rao, Vasnthapuram, Gisukonda, 19.09.015. Mudu Hatya, 28, Chandrakonda, Nekkkonda, 16.09.016. Thumma Arogya Reddy, 40, Prakashreddypeta, Hanmakonda, 16.09.01

Farmers under treatment in Mahatma Gandhi Hospital in Warangal:

1. Garige Ramamurthy, Damera, Atmakur, 8.9.012. Gudem Yellaiah, Damera, Atmakur, 8.9.013. More Rajender, 24, Ashokapalli, Sangem, 11.09.014. Malothu Dalya, 34, Vanchanagiri, Gisukonda, 6.09.015. Mandala Rajender, 20, Penchikalapeta, Atmakur, 6.9.016. Sanga Srinu, Vanchanagiri, Gisukonda, 6.09.017. Dasari Kumaraswamy, 40, Pallarguda, Sangem, 29.08.018. Musuku Raji Reddy, 35, Upparagudem, Kodakondla, 13.09.019. Marripalli Ravi, 22, Devannapeta, Hasanparthy, 23.09.01

Apart from this there are others under treatment in different hospitals. They were spraying Curacron, Asetaph, Thiodene andothers. Most of these were agricultural labourers. Cotton crop is spread over 4,34,200 acres in Warangal this year, while normalacreage is only 3,26,000 - an addition of more than 1,00,000 acres

Annexure III


PAGE 21

Findings of the Preliminary Visit � October, 2001Cases of deaths and pesticide poisoning in villages in Warangal district

Mode of application of pesticide is largely uniform and is done by means of a 16L capacity hand pump - 50ml of pesticidediluted in 16L water.

1. Pidugu Samiah � 40 yrs � death within 12 hrs. (Wife questioned)Pesticide � CURACRONSymptoms � uneasiness, giddiness, vomitingLocal doctor administered glucose and advised to be taken to city.History � Agricultural labourer, not his own land. He has been performing pesticide spraying activity for the past 15 years.Previously very healthy. No major health problems. Normally use upto 5L of the pesticide for a season. Spraying activity is done for5 hrs and once a week. This is carried on for an average of 10 times in a season (common practice everywhere). Landlord buys andsupplies pesticides.

2. Penta Kumariah � 25 yrs � death within 24 hrs. (Father questioned)Pesticide � PROFENOPHOSSymptoms � uneasiness, giddiness, vomiting, complained about eye irritations.History � Own land. Has been spraying for 5-6 yrs. Healthy person, married, with one child.

3. Pasula Yelliah � 35 yrs � treated and discharged.Pesticide � EKALUXSymptoms � similar to above. Lost consciousness.History - has been spraying for 15 yrs. Landlord supplies the chemical.

4. Krisnamurthy � 22 yrs � discharged after treatmentPesticide � ENDOSULPHAN & DIVAP (DICHLORVOS)Symptoms � similar to aboveHistory - has been spraying for 1 yr. Landlord supplies the chemical.

5. UlliRao Raju � 20 yrs � death after 2 days of treatmentPesticide � QUINALPHOS (Suquin) & CYPERMETHRINSymptoms � uneasiness and vomiting.History � agricultural labourer. Bought chemicals by himself. One year of spraying experience.

6. Ennukuthala Ravi � 25 yrs � death after 2 days of treatmentMode of application of pesticide � hand pump 16L capacity50ml of pesticide diluted in 16L water.Pesticide � METHYL PARATHION (Metacid)Symptoms � uneasiness and vomiting.History � Agricultural labourer. They themselves purchased chemicals. Has been spraying for past 5 yrs.

ObservationsThe post-mortem report does not show anything significant to give a direct cause-effect relationship. A chemical analysis of certainvital body tissues like those of liver and stomach are being carried out by forensics. Results are awaited. The pesticides used by thefarmers are wide �ranging. Farmers purchase pesticides from various shops. It is believed that certain companies also come to thevillage to promote their products. The criterion that the farmers chose their pesticides is by word of mouth. One farmer tries a newconcoction and if it works well, then he spreads the word around. Farmers do not know the significance in spraying towards thewind direction, but innocently spray against the wind, which blows the chemical back on to their faces.

Doctors opined Organophosphate pesticide inhalation would cause bronchospasm (lung congestion and breathing difficulty),which would be the cause of death.

Annexure IV

Rep

ort

of t

he F

act-

Fin

din

g T

eam

, Jan

uary

200

2

PAGE 22

Basic Data on Pesticides

Pesticides Manufacturing Companies Est. Actuals Forecast(1999-00) (2000-01)(MT) (MT)

Methyl parathion All India Medical Co (India), Bayer India, 850 800Rallis India Ltd,

Cypermethrin United Phosphorus Ltd, Aimco Pesticides Ltd., 1700 1200Heranba Industries Ltd, Sanjay Insecticides Ltd,Dhanuka Pesticides Ltd, Rallis India Ltd, Sulphur Mills Ltd,Meghmani Organics Ltd, Gharda Chemicals Ltd.

Endosulfan Excel Industries, Aimco Pesticides Ltd, 4400 4500Ankar Industries Pvt Ltd,Sulphur Mills Ltd. AgrEvo Ltd

Chlorpyriphos Ficron Organics Ltd, Aimco Pesticides Ltd, 4300 4000Lupin Agrochem India Ltd, De Nocil, Mistu Industries Ltd,Vantech Pesticides Ltd, Siris India Ltd, Tantech Agrochemicals,Gharda Chemicals Ltd, Rallis India Ltd, Sulphur Mills Ltd,National Organic Chemicals Ltd.

Ekalux Novartis

Quinalphos Novartis, United Phosphorus Ltd Aimco Pesticides Ltd, 3500 3500Ankar Industries Pvt Ltd, Sulphur Mills Ltd.Dhanuka Pesticides Ltd

Avaunt Dupont

Tracer De Nocil, Mumbai.

Sources:1. Demand pattern of pesticides for (technical grade) for agriculture, Pesticide Association of India, Estimate 2000 and forecast

2001.2. www.pmfai.org3. www.indiainfoline.com

Annexure V


PAGE 23

Growth in demand for different pesticides

Nature of pesticide 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 Est. % growth(MT) (MT) (MT) (MT) 1998-99

Chlorpyriphos 1400 1800 2500 3000 20.0

Cypermethrin 1100 1150 1200 1300 8.3

Endosulphan 5500 4300 4200 4200 Nil

Ethion 1160 1000 1850 2000 8.1

Fenvalerate 1350 1300 1500 1500 Nil

Malathion 1500 1200 1000 1200 20.0

Monocrotophos 6900 6500 7500 7500 Nil

Methyl Parathion 2400 1700 2000 2100 5.0

Phorate 3900 3600 3600 3600 Nil

Phosphamidon 2100 2000 2400 2400 Nil

Quainalphos 2500 2200 3000 3000 Nil

Mancozeb 5000 6000 5500 6000 9.1

2,4-D 850 800 800 1400 75.0

Isoproturon 2500 2600 2700 2500 7.4

Paraquat 1400 1400 1400 1600 14.3

Aluminium Phosphide 900 1050 865 900 4.0

Source: Pesticide Association of India

Annexure VI

Rep

ort

of t

he F

act-

Fin

din

g T

eam

, Jan

uary

200

2

PAGE 24

Cost of some of the commonly used pesticides

Pesticide name Manufacturer Quantity Price Required amount for spraying

Avaunt Dupont 200 ml Rs 670 Required 200 ML for 1.5 acres of land500 ml Rs 16251000 ml Rs 3125

Tracer DeNocil 100 ml Rs 1021 Required 100 ML for 1.5 acres of land

Metacid Bayer 1 litre Rs 300 Required half litre per acre

Endosulfan - 1 litre Rs 200 -

Source: Information provided by local pesticide shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper buys his pesticides stock from the big pesticides distributor in Warangal called Vasavi Fertiliser. He saidthat the date expired pesticides are sent back to the distributor who in turn sends it back to the manufacturers.

Annexure VII


PAGE 25

Annexure VIIIToxicity Profile

vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal cramps,headache, dizziness, eye pain, blurredvision, constriction or dilation of thepupils, tears, salivation, sweating andconfusion. In severe cases, poisoning willaffect the central nervous system, producingin-coordination, slurred speech, loss ofreflexes, weakness, fatigue, and eventualparalysis of the body extremities andrespiratory muscles. Death may be causedby respiratory failure or cardiac arrest (10).

Chronic effectsEffects reported in workers repeatedlyexposed to methyl parathion includeimpaired memory and concentration,disorientation, severe depressions,irritability, confusion, headache, speechdifficulties, delayed reaction times,nightmares, sleepwalking, drowsiness andinsomnia (11).

There are no epidemiological studieson effects related only to methyl parathionexposure (12).

CancerThe International Agency for Research onCancer evaluated methyl parathion in1983, and concluded that the available datado not provide evidence that methylparathion is carcinogenic to experimentalanimals. No data on humans wereavailable (13).

MutagenicityMutagenicity tests have been both positiveand negative. The results of most of thein v i t ro studies with both bacterial andmammalian cells were positive (14).

FoodThe WHO recommended that moredefinitive studies should be conducted onresidues of methyl parathion in freshfoods(15). Residues are regularly detectedin a range of fruit and vegetables. In theUK during 1995, researchers foundresidues in imported celery, dessert grapesand oranges, all below maximum residuelimits (16).

UsageThe basic manufacturers of methyl parathionare All India Medical Co (India), Bayer India,Bayer Mexico, Cheminova (Denmark), RallisIndia and Sundat (Singapore)(3). In 1993,other production facilities existed in Brazil,the former East Germany, China and theformer USSR. Although not used in the UK,methyl parathion is widely used throughoutthe world, and is registered in at least 38countries (4).

Information on global sales andproduction data are not widely available.For the financial year 1995-96, Indiaproduced an estimated 2,200 tonnes oftechnical grade methyl parathion (5).

Cheminova, a major producer, sellsUS$ 15 million per year in the US, one ofits key markets for this product (6). Overallthe company recorded a 10% rise in salesin 1996. Its forecasts for future growth inmethyl parathion have however beenaffected by an agreement to withdrawcertain formulations in the US (seebelow)(7).

Acute toxicityThe World Health Organization classifiesmethyl parathion as a class Ia �extremelyhazardous� pesticide (8). It is highly toxicby inhalat ion and ingest ion, andmoderately toxic by dermal adsorption (itis also readily adsorbed through the skin).The oral LD50 in rats is 2.9 mg/kg, inmice is 33.1-119.5 mg/kg, in rabbits is 19-420 mg/kg and dogs is 50 mg/kg (9).The dermal rat LD50 is 44-67 mg/kg.

Like other organophosphateinsecticides, methyl parathion is achol inesterase inhibitor (see theOrganophosphates fact sheet PN34 pp 20-21). When inhaled, the first adverse effectsare a bloody or runny nose, coughing, chestdiscomfort and difficulty breathing. Skincontact may cause localised sweating andinvoluntary muscle contract ions.Following exposure by any route, othersystemic effects may begin within a fewminutes, or be delayed for up to 12 hours.These may include pallor, nausea,

METHYL PARATHION

Methyl parathion is an insecticide thatcomes in two forms, white crystals or abrownish liquid. It smells like rotten eggsand is similar to nerve gas.Source: Agency for Toxic Substances andDi s ea s e Re g i s t r y (ATSDR) . 1992 .Toxicological profile for Methyl Parathion.Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health andHuman Services, Public Health Service.

Methyl parathion, sometimes called�cotton poison,� is a chemical pesticidethat should be used only in open fields tocontrol insects. Most commonly, it is usedon cotton, soybean and vegetable fields.Source: Illinois Department of Public Health- http://www.idph. state.il.us/public/hb/hbmeth.htm

Exposure to high doses of methylparathion by inhalation or dermal contactcan cause human fatality. When inhaled atlower doses it can cause runny nose, chestdiscomfort, among other effects. Eyecontact with it can lead to pupil constrictionand blurred vision. Prolonged exposureto moderate levels may result to impairedmemory and insomnia.Source: compilation by Ike Val Iyioke,Institute of Environmental Toxico-logy,Mi ch i gan S ta t e Un i v e r s i t y , h t t p ://www.iet.msu.edu/Tox_for_Journ/Chemicals/Methyl.htm)

Methyl parathion was originally developedby the German Pesticide Company Bayer.It is a non-systemic pesticide that kills pestsby acting as a stomach poison. It is usedto control chewing and sucking insects ina wide range of crops, including cereals,fruit, vines, vegetables, ornamentals,cotton and field crops (1). Methylparathion is generally applied as a spray,mainly as an emulsifiable concentrateformula t ion . The recommendedapplication rates are 15-25g of activeingredient per 100 litre (2).

Rep

ort

of t

he F

act-

Fin

din

g T

eam

, Jan

uary

200

2

PAGE 26

Fate in the environmentMethyl parathion has a half-life in aqueoussolution of 175 days (17), and 10 days totwo months in soils (18). The rate ofdegradation increases with temperature andwith exposure to sunlight. When largeconcentrations of methyl parathion reachthe soil, as in an accidental spill,degradation will occur only after many years(19). The US Environmental ProtectionAgency (EPA) may have detected 4-ni trophenol , a methyl parathionbreakdown product, at very low levels indrinking water wells. The EPA is uncertainand cannot quantify the amount orfrequency of 4-nitrophenol in drinkingwater because the analytical technique is notreliable (20). Methyl parathion is unlikely tobioaccumulate.

WildlifeMethyl parathion is highly toxic for aquaticinvertebrates with most LC50s rangingfrom <1 µg/litre to about 40µg/l (21). In1992, a massive bird kill occurred in CostaRica after it was applied by plane in a cottonfield (22). Methyl parathion has beenimplicated in the deaths of waterfowl inSpain and the acute poisoning of fish,birds, cattle and wild animals in the Sudan(23).

Hazards in developing countriesConditions in developing countries makeit extremely difficult to associate a particularactive ingredient with a poisoning incident. In the early 1950s the manufacturersintroduced a powder formulation ofmethyl parathion which caused problemsbecause of the poor conditions of use indeveloping countries. Methyl parathionbecame the mainstay of pest control incotton, and very quickly there werehundreds of poisonings from this singleproduct, and reportedly dozens of fatalities(24).

In Oarana State, Brazil, pesticideincidents compiled by the ToxicologicalInformation Centre and Health Clinicsnoted 1,243 incidents involving methylparathion between 1982-1991(25).

There is evidence that methylparathion is not used safely in CentralAmerica. Research carried out in 1996

shows that methyl parathion caused anumber of documented poisoningsamong agricultural labourers involved inNicaraguan cotton production. In somecases they have ended up in hospital withclassic OP poisoning (26). Cheminova, the Danish manufacturersof methyl parathion, says it only sells todeveloping countries if they carry out �safefarming�. However, researchers on theground in countries like Guatemala andNicaragua say methyl parathion is rarelyused safely.● The WHO has set out a number of

safety remarks for methyl parathionuse:

● Methyl parathion may only be used bytrained personnel;

● A field sprayed with methyl parathionmay not be entered for 48 hours afterapplication;

● Methyl parathion may not be sprayedby hand;

● people may not be used as markerswhen spraying from the air (27).There i s ev idence that these

recommendat ions are broken indeveloping countries (28).

Problems in the USRecently, there have been a number ofimportant US prosecutions involvingmethyl parathion. Over 1,500 homes andbusinesses in Mississippi and Ohio weresprayed with methyl parathion byunlicensed operators. Methyl parathion isnot permitted for use indoors in the US.The authorities had to relocate over 1,100people in temporary accommodation, andclean up costs could reach US $50 million.In addition, local vets reported deaths ofhousehold pets due to methyl parathionexposure (29).

These events led the US EPA to cancelthe registrat ions of emuls i f iableconcentrate formulations. These came intoeffect on 30 April 1997, following avoluntary agreement with the USregistrants, led by Cheminova. Cheminovais to carry out a public educationprogramme on the proper use of theinsecticide (300).

Mississippi caseOn 13 March 1997, Dock Eatman, Sr ofMoss Point Mississippi was convicted by a

jury of illegal spraying of the insecticidemethyl parathion in homes and otherbuildings in the Pascagoula (Miss.) area in1995 and 1996. Eatman did not have a licencefor commercial pesticide application. Thisinsecticide is only approved for outdooragricultural use. Eatman faces a maximumof 21 years in prison and/or up to US $2.1million in fines. This case is being investigatedby the EPA�s Criminal InvestigationDivision, the FBI and authorities from thestate of Mississippi (31).

Ohio caseLutellis Kilgore of Elyria Ohio, was alsocharged on 21 March 1997 with illegal useof methyl parathion. He allegedly appliedthe insecticide in a manner inconsistentwith its label to more than 60 propertieswithout an application certificate. Thespraying led to a US $20 million publicly-funded clean up of the affected properties.Kilgore faces a maximum of one year inprison and/or a fine of up to US $100,000for the illegal application and five years inprison and/or a fine of up to US $250,000for making false statements to federalinvestigators (32).

RestrictionsMethyl parathion is banned in Indonesia,Sri Lanka and Tanzania, and is severelyrestricted in Colombia, Korea, China andJapan. It is one of five pesticides identifiedfor inclusion in the Prior InformedConsent Procedures of the Food andAgriculture Organisation on the groundsof causing problems under conditions ofuse in developing countries.

ConclusionsAs a hazardous OP pesticide, methylparathion is regularly misused indeveloping countries. The measures takenrecently in the US should help to reducepotential problems, but they merelyhighlight the difficulties of using such aproduct in conditions like Central America,where protective clothing and training areoften lacking or ineffective. As a result,methyl parathion should be more severelyrestricted in developing countries.S o u r c e : PESTICIDE ACTIONNETWORK - http://www.pan-uk.o r g / p e s t n e w s / a c t i v e s /methylpa.htm)

ANNEXURE VIII


PAGE 27

CHLOROPYRIFOSChlorpyrifos is an organophosphorusinsecticide that has been widely used inthe home and on the farm. In the home,chlorpyrifos has been used to controlcockroaches, fleas, and termites; it has alsobeen an active ingredient in some pet fleaand tick collars. On the farm, it is used tocontrol ticks on cattle and as a spray tocontrol crop pests. In 1997, chlorpyrifoswas voluntarily withdrawn from mostindoor and pet uses by the manufacturer,DowElanco.

Chlorpyrifos is a white crystal-likesolid with a strong odor. It does not mixwell with water, so it is usually mixed withoily liquids before it is applied to crops oranimals. It may also be applied to cropsi n a m i c r o e n c a p s u l a t e d f o r m . Chlorpyrifos is the active ingredient ofvarious commercial insecticides includingDursban® and Lorsban®.

Environment FateChlorpyrifos enters the environmentthrough direct application to crops, lawns,domesticated animals, and in the homeand workplace. Chlorpyrifos may alsoente r the env i ronment th roughvolatilization, spills, and the disposal ofchlorpyrifos waste.

Chlorpyrifos that has been appliedto the soil generally stays in the area whereit has been applied because it sticks tightlyto soil particles. Because of this, there is alow chance that chlorpyrifos will bewashed off the soil and enter local watersystems. Also, since it does not mix wellwith water, if it does get into the naturalwaters, it will be in small amounts andwill remain on or near the surface and willevaporate. Volatilization is the major wayin which chlorpyrifos disperses after it hasbeen applied. Once in the environment(soil, air, or water), chlorpyrifos is brokendown by sunlight, bacteria, or otherchemical processes.

ExposureYou can be exposed to chlorpyrifos inmany places because of its wide range ofuses. You can be exposed to it in yourhome or office if chlorpyrifos has recentlybeen used to control household pests suchas fleas or cockroaches. Exposure can alsooccur outside your home if chlorpyrifos

has been applied to the ground aroundthe foundation to control termites. Chlorpyrifos degrades rapidly in theenvironment; however, low levels maypersist for long periods of time after ithas been applied either inside or outsidethe home. Opening windows before andafter chlorpyrifos spraying rapidly lowersairborne levels in a house.

You can a l so be exposed tochlorpyrifos in a farm setting. The greatestrisk occurs soon after a crop has beensprayed, because that is when its levels willbe the highest. However, chlorpyrifosrapidly degrades and becomes bound toplants and the ground. The EPArecommends a 24-hour waiting periodbefore entering fields where chlorpyrifoshas been applied. In addition, there is therisk of exposure to chlorpyrifos when it isbeing prepared for use. Care should betaken to ensure that only a licensedapplicator sprays chlorpyrifos, and thatunnecessary or unprotected individualsremain away from the site of applicationduring the spraying.

Chlorpyrifos can also be found atsome waste disposal sites, so exposure tohigher levels than what is commonlyfound after home or commercial use mayoccur there.

Chlorpyrifos can enter your bodythrough your mouth, lungs, and skin. After being eaten or drunk, chlorpyrifosquickly passes from the intestines to thebloodstream, where it is distributed to therest of the body. It can also enter the bodythrough the lungs by brea th ingchlorpyrifos sprays or dust. Whenchlorpyrifos enters the body this way, itpasses quickly into the blood. It may alsoenter your body through the skin, but thechances of being exposed to harmful levelsof chlorpyrifos this way are not as great aswith inhalation and oral exposure, becausethe amount that gets through the skin isrelatively small (less than 3% of what wasput on the skin). Dermal exposure ofinfants represents a greater health risk thanwith adults because of the texture of infantskin and because infants laying or crawlingon an area sprayed with chlorpyrifos mayhave a greater amount of their skinexposed to chlorpyrifos. Infants crawlingon areas recently sprayed with chlorpyrifosmay also be exposed to greater amounts

of chlorpyrifos through inhalation of itsvapours.

Health effectsTo protect the public from the harmfuleffects of toxic chemicals and to find waysto treat people, who have been harmed,scientists use many tests.

One way to see if a chemical can harmpeople is to learn how the chemical isabsorbed, used, and released by the body;for some chemicals, animal testing maybe necessary. Animal testing may also beused to identify health effects such ascancer or birth defects. Without laboratoryanimals, scientists would lose a basicmethod to get information needed tomake wise decisions to protect publichealth. Scientists have the responsibilityto treat research animals with care andcompassion. Laws today protect thewelfare of research animals, and scientistsmust comply with strict animal careguidelines.

In people, short-term oral exposure(one day) to low (milligrams) levels ofchlorpyrifos can cause dizziness, fatigue,runny nose or eyes, salivation, nausea,intestinal discomfort, sweating, andchanges in heart rate. Short-term oralexposure to much higher (grams) levelsof chlorpyrifos may cause paralysis,seizures, loss of consciousness, anddeath. Reports in people also show thatshort-term exposure to chlorpyrifos maycause muscle weakness weeks after theoriginal symptoms have disappeared. Other effects of exposure to chlorpyrifosinclude changes in behaviour or sleepingpattern, mood changes, and effects on thenerves and/or muscles in the limbs (whichmay appear as odd sensations such asnumbness or tingling, or as muscleweakness). The EPA has not classifiedchlorpyrifos for carcinogenicity (Class D).Source: Agency for Toxic Substances DiseaseRegistry, www.atsdr.cdc.gov.

ENDOSULFANEndosulfan, commonly known by itstrade name Thiodan, is an insecticide. Itwas first introduced in the 1950s. It is nowout-of-patent, but AgrEvo (formerlyHoescht) is still the most importantproducer world-wide. Endosulfan iswidely used, and is an important cause of

Rep

ort

of t

he F

act-

Fin

din

g T

eam

, Jan

uary

200

2

PAGE 28

pesticide poisoning in many countries. Itis also extremely toxic to fish and otheraquatic life.

Endosulfan is one of the class ofcompounds called organochlorines. Thisclass of chemicals is the most importantof the persistent organic pollutants orPOPs. There is now a move for a world-wide ban on POPs because of their linkto cancer and long-term subtle effects onhormones, the immune system, andreproduction. Unlike other POPs whichtravel across the globe, endosulfan tendsto remain in the region of its use. Yet ithas been found in high concentrations inmany areas around the world because it isso widely used. The information belowdescribes the environmental and healthproperties of endosulfan, and shows whyit should be banned world-wide.

Short-term toxicityThere is concern over the acute toxicity ofe n d o s u l f a n . T h e Wo r l d H e a l t hOrgan i z a t i on (WHO) c l a s s i f i e sendosulfan in Category 2 (moderatelyhazardous). The U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency (US EPA) classifies itas Category Ib (highly hazardous)pesticide. It is readily absorbed by thestomach, by the lungs, and through theskin, meaning that all routes of exposurecan pose a hazard.

Numerous cases of both suicidal andoccupational poisonings have beenreported. Proper protective clothing(safety goggles, gloves, long sleeves, longpants, respirator) is needed to preventpoisoning when handling endosulfan.(IPCS,1988) Before it was banned in thePhilippines in the early 1990s, endosulfanhad become the number one cause ofpesticide poisonings. (NPCIC,1991)Another concern, especially in developingcountries, is that people with diets low inprotein may be more sensitive to theeffects of this pesticide. (ATSDR,1993)

Long-term toxicityAlthough the short-term toxicity ofendosulfan is of immediate concern, thereare also long-term effects to consider.There is some indication that endosulfancan have adverse effects on the immunesystem at low levels of exposure.(ATSDR,1993) There is mountingevidence that organochlorine compoundscan act as hormones. These compounds,including DDT, PCBs, and endosulfan,may also be part of the cause for thedecrease in the quality of semen, anincrease in testicular and prostate cancer,an increase in defects in male sex organs,and increased incidence of breast cancerwhich has been observed in the last fiftyyears . (Hi l eman ,1994 ; So t o , 1993 )Endosulfan has also been found to causemutations. (ATSDR,1993)

TOLERANCE & EXPOSURELEVELS

HEALTH EFFECTS:SHORT TERM: Organo-ch lor inesinterfere with the transmission of nerveimpulses, disrupting the nervous systemparticularly,

Central Nervous System. They caninduce changes in the liver enzymes andaffect the synthesis of proteins and fats.(3) Workers have reported symptoms ofmalaise, vomiting, dizziness, weakness,confusion, dull headache, anorexia andabdominal discomfort.(5)

Other acute exposure effects toorgano-chlorines include behavioural andEEG disturbances, cardiac arrhythmias,central nervous system stimulation anddepression, dermatitis, diarrhoea, visualdisturbances, hepatic and renal injury,insomnia, mucous membrane irritation,respiratory difficulties and muscletwitching. (3)

LONG TERM: Chronic exposure to

organo-chlorines may result in abdominalpain and anorexia pain, visual disturbances,hepatic and renal degeneration, joint pain,i n somn i a , men t a l ch ho rmona ldisturbances, paralysis, peripheralneuropathy, splenomegaly, tremor andweakness.(3)

CARCINOGENICITYMUTAGENICITY: Some experimentalmutagenicity has been observed at highdoses of endosulfan.(1) Endosulfan wasmutagenic in bacterial and bone marrowtests.(5)

REPRODUCTIVE EFFECTS:BIO-ACCUMULATION: When admini-stered to rats orally, endosulfan ismetabolised to alphahydroxy-endosulfanand endosulfandiol, which are thenexcreted in the urine. (2)

Suspected Effects: Endosulfan issuspected of being a carcinogen, Teratogenand causing embryotoxicity.

Environmental EffectsEndosulfan is also a concern forenvironmental reasons: it is highly toxicto fish. Safe levels of endosulfan in waterare measured in parts per trillion, e.g.European Union maximum acceptablelevel is 0 .001 ug/l . (PRC, 1994)Endosulfan can cause fish kills even whenused at recommended application rates.Because of this, endosulfan should notbe sprayed over marshlands or bodies ofwater. Caution should also be observedwhen spraying near ditches, canals, rivers,streams, ponds, and lakes. (IPCS, 1988)Endosulfan is persistent in soil, and itsmajor degradation product, endosulfansulfate, is as toxic as endosulfan.(ASTDR,1993)

Source: PAN Asia & the Pacific �http://www.poptel.org.uk/panap/pest/pe-end.htm

ANNEXURE VIII


PAGE 29

PESTICIDES ARE DESIGNED to killcertain unwanted organisms, whetherplant or animal. They often do morepoisoning than they are supposed to,however. A pesticide that seems at firstto be quite �safe� often turns out tocause damage no one foresaw. Thisis because there are so many differentways pesticides can cause damage.

1. A Pesticide may kill more thanthe pest. Lest than one out of 1,000kinds of insects are pests, and yet mostinsecticides kill many kinds of insects,including those that help control thepest species. By living weight, soilorganisms account for half of all livingmatter on earth and yet the effects ofpesticides on soil organisms may bethe least-researched area of pestcontrol. Earthworm populations aredramat ica l l y decreased by mostcarbamate pesticides, for example.Fish are sensitive to poisons thatcontact their gill surfaces, so pesticidesin water in amounts of only a few partsper billion (ppb) often kill fish. Fish-kill is often an expected consequenceof pesticide runoff from agriculturalf i e lds . Mammals and b i rds arepoisoned when they ear poisonedinsects and animals or poisoned baitsintended for other animals. Finally,human beings are all to frequentlyvictims of pesticides.

2 . A p e s t i c i d e m a y r e m a i n along time in the environment.Organochlorine pesticides (e.g., DDT,heptachlor, chlordane) are among themost persistent of pesticides, but otherkinds of pest ic ides , such as thedipyridyl herbicide paraquat and thecarbamate fungicide benomyl, mayalso persist for long period. Thesepesticides can accumulate over theyears in soil, pond bottoms, to be takenup later by plants or released by soilorganisms to poison further. Fore x a m p l e , t h e h a l f - l i f e o f t h e

Annexure IXWhy No One Can Say - �Pesticides Are Safe� Mary H. O�Brien

organochlorine pesticide toxaphone is15 years in soil, meaning that 15 yearsafter toxaphene is applied to soil, one-half of the pesticide will remain in thesoil. After 30 years, one-fourth willremain.

3. A Pesticide May Travel Far.Pesticides may travel via air, soil, water,dust or organisms to affect livingorganisms far from where they wereapplied. Persistent organochlorinepesticides have been shown to travelthousands of miles after being sprayedbefore coming down in rain or snow.Certain pesticides also travel throughfood webs. Organochlorine pesticidesare stored in the fat of animals andthen accumulate in the bodies directlyfrom contaminated water.

4 . A Pes t ic ide may tu rn in toanother poison. Almost nothing isknow about many of the other changesa p e s t i c i d e u n d e r g o e s i n t h eenvironment, but several are knownto break down in to even morehazardous compounds. For example,the organochlorine heptachlor ischanged into heptachlor epoxide, atoxic poison, inside plants and animals.Parathion becomes another compoundfour times more toxic when it contractso x y g e n . T h e o r g a n o p h o s p h a t einsecticide acephate turns into anotherpesticide, methamidophos, insidep l an t s , an ima l s and s ed imen t s .Methamidophos itself is used to killbirds that feed on crops and is moretoxic to birds than acephate.

5. A Pesticide may become morepoisonous in the presence o fother chemicals. Sometimes thetox ic e f fec t of one pes t i c ide i sdramatically increased in the presenceof another pesticide or chemical. Thet o x i c i t y o f m a n y p a i r s o forganophosphate pest ic ides , forinstance, is increased when they are

combined . Th i s e f fec t i s ca l l eds y n e r g i s m. Non-pesticide chemicalscan also interact with pesticides. Thetoxicity of malathion, for instance, isg rea t l y increased by a commonindustrial plasticizer, TOTP, even whenmalathion exposure occurs two weeksfollowing the use of TOTP.

6. A Pest ic ide may poison bymethods entirely different thant h o s e i n t e n d e d . S i n c e m o s tpesticides are designed to kill pestsquickly, their long-term effects onhumans, such as cancer, genet icdamage, and birth defects, are allunintended side effects, Phenoxyherbicides, for example, are designedto kill p lant s by causing them to growquickly, but they also poison a n i m a l sby damaging their l ivers and aresuspec ted o f caus ing cance r inhumans.

7. A pesticide may poison in sucha way that it is hard to recognizethat the poisoning is taking place.Several pesticide carriers (i.e. part ofthe formulated pesticide that is not theactive ingredient) have been shownto increase the toxicity of viral diseasesin mice. If a human became ill with avirus after exposure to a pesticide, itwould be very difficult to prove thatthe pesticide had played a role. Andresearchers are only now beginningto learn that exposure to certainorganophosphate pest ic ides maycause permanent damage to the brain,resulting in sleeplessness, memoryloss, irritability, and other symptomsf r equen t l y no t a s soc i a t ed w i thpesticide poisoning.

8. Pesticide damage may show uplong after the pesticide has left thebody. Like X-rays, pesticides that arecapable of causing genetic damage orcancer can initiate the damage inwhatever period they are actually in

Rep

ort

of t

he F

act-

Fin

din

g T

eam

, Jan

uary

200

2

PAGE 30

10. A pesticide may cause damaget h a t w a s n e v e r i n v e s t i g a t e dbefore it was registered or notdiscovered during toxicologicaltesting. Testing standards in the U.S.are the most complete and stringentin the world, yet even these are veryinadequate . For example , in theUnited States, almost all pesticides areconditionally registered, which meansthat not all required health tests havebeen completed and reviewed beforethey are allowed on the market. In1983, only four out of over 600 activeingredients had been registered withall required tests. Only 38 percentof the pesticides on the market inthe United States have been testedfor cancer causing ability as requiredby law (i.e. passing two tests). Only30 to 40 percent have been testedfor birth defects, and less than 10percent have been tested for geneticdamage. In addition, studies of certainpesticide effects, such as those onc h i l d r e n a n d o t h e r e s p e c i a l l yvulnerable groups, or effects on thebody � s immune sys tem, a re not

the body. For example, the phenoxyherbicide 2,4-D is rapidly eliminatedfrom the body, but several cases areknown in which individuals brieflyexposed to 2 ,4-D on the i r sk indeveloped nerve damage in their armsand legs several weeks later.

9. A pesticide may be dangerouseven if all label directions arefollowed. A pesticide, by definitionand design, is intended to destroy atleast some form of life. Some usesand storage practices are safer thanothers and therefore recommended onlabels. But the product itself remainshazardous. Even following the labelexactly cannot guarantee it will causeno harm. In the U.S., it is illegal toprint a label that claims a pesticide is�safe� or �harmless� for this reason.W i t h p e s t i c i d e s m a n u f a c t u r e d ,f o r m u l a t e d , o r e x p o r t e d i n t odeveloping countries, the uncertaintiesmultiply. And even if accuratelylabelled when shipped, a pesticidemay be repackaged later in a way thatfails to protects handlers and users.

required and are almost never done.Thus countr ies whose pes t i c ideregulatory schemes have relied on U.S.d a t a h a v e i n a d e q u a t e l y t e s t e dpesticides on the market as a result.

Although there is no such thing asentirely safe pesticides, many safealternatives to pesticides are presentlyavailable, and many more are underinvestigation. While far more researchin this area is still needed, there isalready a beginning internationalmovement by farmers away fromheavy dependence on syn the t i cchemical pesticides and fertilizers,toward less toxic, more sustainableagricultural practices. Household peststoo can frequently be controlled by avariety of techniques emphasizing athorough understanding of the pests�life cycles and habitats. Individuals andgroups work ing to deve lop andpubl ic ize a l te rna t ives to unsafep e s t i c i d e s n e e d s s u p p o r t f r o meveryone, regardless what countrythey live in, for it is all the earth�sinhabitants that benefit from theirefforts to �detoxify� our planet.

Mary H.O�Brien is information Co-ordinator for the Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides (NCAP), a coalition of citizen groupsworking for pesticides re f o rm in the Northwest U.S. [P.O.Box 375; Eugene, Oregon 97440; USA.]

ANNEXURE IX

The Killing Fields - Toxics Linktoxicslink.org/docs/06266_The_Killing_Fiealds_Warangal...

Documents

Transcript of The Killing Fields - Toxics Linktoxicslink.org/docs/06266_The_Killing_Fiealds_Warangal...