CHOICE IS OURS
Endosulfan, though introduced mainly as a chemical pesticide has led to a humanitarian, environmental, agricultural crisis beyond compare owing to its long-term ill effects.Though banned worldwide and in some Indian states through the Stockholm and Rotterdam conventions the ambivalence of Indian government surprised one and all which was eventually put to rest by the Supreme Court order of 2011.
Endosulfan is an off-patent organic chlorine based insecticide that is being phased out globally. Endosulfan became a highly controversial agrichemical due to its acute toxicity, potential for bioaccumulation (collecting in animals and getting passed along the food chain), and role as an endocrine (harmonal imbalance) disruptor. . The chemcial is semi-volatile and persistent to degradation processes in the environment. Endosulfan is subject to long range atmospheric transport, i.e. it can travel long distances from where it is used. Endosulfan has been found in remote locations such as the Arctic Ocean as well as in the antarctic atmosphere.] The pesticide has also been detected in dust from the Sahara Desert collected in the Caribbean after being blown across the Atlantic Ocean.
EndoSulfan is used as pesticide in agriculture mainly on the vegetables, fruits, and paddy, cotton, cashew, tea, coffee and tobacco and timber crops and also used as wood preservative. Endosulfan was introduced in 1950s and was approved by Environmental protection Agency of United States in 1954 in those times when environmental awareness and its protection was not at all a bottleneck and also many countries hardly thought in that direction of environmental protection as it was the age of Industrialization and agriculturization.
Environmental Hazards
Due to its persistence nature, this compound proliferates through wind dispersion, percolation into ground water and thus causing related soil, air and water pollution across huge geographical boundries.Thus biotic life far away from the place of usage comes to be adversely affected disturbing the natural chemical balance.Eg endosulfan commonly contaminates air, water, plants and fish of national parks in the U.S. Most of these parks are far from areas where endosulfan is used.
Health Hazards
Owing to its toxicity insect killer was sprayed aerially with in particular used helicopters. As the plantations are mostly in mountainous areas, the pesticide drains and gets washed down the slopes during rains into drinking water below. Consuming this water will result in diseases ranging from physical deformities, cancers, birth disorders and damages to brain and nervous system.
Endosulfan in India
India the world's largest user of endosulfan and a major producer with three companies—Excel Crop Care, Hindustan Insecticides Ltd, and Coromandal Fertilizers—.Used extensively for pest control in cashewnut,paddy sugarcane and cotton plantations in many parts of the nation viz Karnataka, Kerala, Punjab, Assam and Andhra Pradesh.
In 2001, in Kerala, India, endosulfan spraying became suspect when linked to a series of abnormalities noted in local children. Initially endosulfan was banned, yet under pressure from the pesticide industry this ban was largely revoked. The situation there has been called "next in magnitude only to the Bhopal gas tragedy."
Activists at ground zero in Kerala's Kasargod, especially the poor farmers who widely use this pesticide because it's about 15 times cheaper than organic options. As a result Kasaragod, once known for its greenery today is haunted by diseases and tragedy. Thanks to hamlets of cashew plantations spread along the region. The diseases are side effects of Endosulfan a deadly pesticide sprayed in these plantations
Karnataka Government also banned the use of endosulfan, an insecticide, with immediate effect.
The CSIR lab Industrial Toxicology Research Centre (ITRC), based in Lucknow came out with a report as early as 1989 (Toxicity Data Handbook. Vol III, Pesticide A) classifying endosulfan as extremely hazardous.
Since 1976 continued aerial spray of Endosulfan has led close to 9,000 deaths, and nearly 4,800 bed ridden patients with sever physical and mental deformities in State of Kerala alone, said National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM).
The supreme court Keeping in mind various judgements under Article 21 (right to life and liberty) of the Constitution and particularly keeping in mind the precautionary principle it passed an interim order for immediate ban on production and use of Endosulfan all over India.
In its toxicity and bioaccumulation perspective, The National Institute of Occupational Health (India) have linked the higher prevalence of neurobehavioral disorders, congenital malformations in female children and abnormalities related to male reproductive systems to the continuous exposure to endosulfan spray.
Government claim that there is no substitute for this pesticide which has same effectiveness and at the same cost holds little substance. It is very true that it does not have a substitute but nothing is substitute for an invaluably precious human life. Moreover, this chemical is more needed for the growth of secondary needed commercial crops and not for primarily needed food crops. Stopping the usage of this chemical will obviously not starve the country form lack of food. When given a Critical thought over its use and disuse, latter prevails from sustainable point of view and also humanistic point of view.
Inspite of overwhelming evidence GOI was reluctant to accede to sockholm and Rotterdam conventions and sought to argue that Endosulfan used in prescribed quantities was would lead to desired results without the ghastly ill effects. But this argument loses weight given the lack of awareness and education among the end user poor farmers.
Under intense pressure from civil rights activists, environmental groups and judicial interference, India finally accepted at a world convention in Geneva that the pesticide Endosulfan is a health hazard and has to be added into the Stockholm convention.
As a result a global ban on the manufacture and use of endosulfan was negotiated under the Stockholm Convention in April 2011. The ban will take effect in mid 2012, with certain uses exempted for 5 additional years. More than 80 countries, including the European Union, Australia and New Zealand, several West African nations, the United States, Brazil and Canada] had already banned it or announced phase outs by the time the Stockholm Convention ban was agreed upon.
India being a signatory has now agreed to a phased out ban with an exemption for some crops.
With growing emphasis on sustainability, organic replacements to chemicals all over the world and in India where it finds its resonance in the demand for second green revolution with onus on biotechnology and other green remedies banning endosulfan is certainly a step in the right direction.
Sustainable Living is all about meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Natural Environment in its healthy form will be the only precious present that we can give to our next generation for their well being. Any activity of ours that cause damage to the present people’s living and also prone to cripple next generation is not only considered unsustainable act but also brand us as Marauders of the present and the future life.
Thus it can be concluded that India’s own Agent Orange (chemical defoliant used by US during Vietnam conflict is now causing neurological and physical deformities among locals) saga seems to be coming to a logical conclusion with its eventual ban. But in the long term we need an effective chemical norm and should ratify a chemical & pesticide policy which would help people affected from chemical accidents & disasters; also stop usage of deadly pesticides for agriculture.
Thank you
Prashanth and Sudhanva
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