Hand spraying and Aerial spraying of endosulfan equally hazardous- facts from Idukki

Hand spraying and aerial spraying were are the two main methods employed in kerala to apply fertiizers in the plantations and agricultural fields. Hand spraying is done by a simple hand machine. In aerial spraying, which is also called as crop dusting involves aerial applications of fertilizers and pesticides via an small agricultural aircraft or helicopters. Aerial spraying of endosulfan was prefered over other methods of application as they could effectively disperse the application used in a uniform manner throughout the field. But the biggest disadvantage of the method is that the tiny droplets of the pestiscide can travel a few kilometers beyond the boundary of the fields, after they are released the helicopter. This will affect the almost all inhabitants of the region. So it was obvious to believe that the high toll of aftereffects of endosulfan was due to the aerial application method employed to apply the pesticide. Common opinion was to replace aerial method with the Hand spraying method eventhough more labour was neeeded for handspraying methods.

But the Idukki district of kerala have got a different story to tell in this regard. Idukki district where aerial spraying was employed for pesticide application showed as much or even more number of endosulfan victims in kasargod. Aerial spraying was used extensively in Kasargod district for its cashew plantations, whereas only hand spraying was used for the cardamom plantations of Idukki. Still number of people who suufered from the disease counted more in Idukki. Local people who made no intervention in any stages of spray process was also found affected severely. This proves that both hand spraying and aerial methods employed for endosulfan application is equally dangerous.

Carcenogenic effects of endosulfan was also much evident from the recent statistical data collected from the survey in Idukki. kanjiar grama panchayath of Idukki district counted more than two times the number of cancer patients found in the survey conducted by state health department in the year 2004. 20 of the randomly chosen 100 family from the area found affected with some stage of cancer. Situation is quite clear when one finds that majority of plantation workers are affecte with cancer.