Hitherto Malayalis were under the belief that the life-threatening nature of vegetables due to sprinkling of pesticides is only seen in vegetables reaching here from Tamil Nadu. Even it was said that in Tamil Nadu and other states, vegetables were cultivated separately for selling them in Kerala

Even on the eve of the harvest, chemicals are sprinkled to keep them visibly fresh. And, people bought the vegetables and fruits from Tamil Nadu and other states with lots of anxiety.
The new news is that there is no shortage of pesticide in Kerala also. It was just two days ago that two farmers appointed in Thiruvalla to sprinkle pesticide met with untimely deaths. One presumption is that they might have used the pesticide in excess. That means, in the State, there are circumstances that allow a farmer to use pesticides without any restrain and according to his wish.

Is it farmers’ greed for the profit that has resulted in increased use of pesticides? If it is assumed like that, it will be difficult to understand the real reason for increased use of pesticides or find a solution to the issue.

What prompts the farmers to take recourse to poisonous pesticide may be the ineffectiveness of organic pesticides or ordinary chemical pesticides. Many pests have the ability to attain immunity against chemical pesticides. So it is natural for famers to find means to destroy such pests. But what are the factors that help them take to this dangerous path to save their crops from pests? Importantly, there are two reasons 1) there is no effective arrangements to control the use of pesticides and prevent the sale of vegetables and fruits with residues of pesticides.

2) The awareness campaign against this great danger is also not effective.

When just two days are needed for the pesticides to lose their effect, the pesticides are applied even two or three days ahead of the harvest.

Their aim is to preserve the vegetables and fruits for later sales. It is easy to find out the vegetables with pesticide residues. If there was a strong arrangement to take penal action against those who sold such vegetables, this use of pesticide could have been controlled.

Currently, the authorities are oblivious of the pitiable state of Endosulfan victims. It is a foolish thing to argue that examination and penal action in this issue is not practical.
Arrack is something that can be produced through cottage industry but many don’t dare to do that for fear of penal action. The government also very well knows that production of arrack would affect the sale of foreign liquor that fetches them tax. Hence they strictly prohibit making of arrack.

In the case of pesticides also the government should have this approach.

Even the farmers who use pesticides are unaware of the hidden dangers of the chemicals. There are also farmers who consume vegetables left with residues of pesticides. The feeling that nothing is happening after eating such vegetables is the reason for the indiscriminate sale of such vegetables. The warnings that it may result in liver disease and cancer is very weak. There is no use in giving mere danger labels on the bottles of pesticides. What is needed is the awareness that will remain etched in the minds of farmers. There are reports that in the State there are institutions that sell vegetables treated with pesticides under the guise of organic vegetables.

There are allegations that inspection is not held even in such institutions, which shows that authorities have been taking this menace very lightly. They should shed this negligence at least in memory of Endosulfan victims. It seems that an awareness campaign on the issue is also needed for administrators.