Endosulfan Controversy:Know about Endosulfan Controversy
Know more about Endosulfan Controversy. Present situation in India is such that the Kerala is almost alone in her protest against the ‘dreadful’ pesticide endosulfan. In this article let us give a glance why there is no strong opposition from any other states. Being keralites should we rethink and have a study of the whole issue before getting to the ban of this cost effective pesticide.
In the past days we saw the move of majority Indian states except Kerala against the ban of endosulfan. Presently 20 states (so the majority) believe there is no that much harmful effects to this organochloride pesticide endosulfan. They also argue that the effects of endosulfan were much prominent only in Kerala (that too we cannot say that the cause was only endosulfan). So question of the hour is indeed about the identity of endosulfan. What should be our stand against the pesticide endosulfan? – A cost effective useful pesticide or a deadly unscientific pesticide. Kerala and endosulfan -the controversy
1. Kerala is state in India where the consumption of endosulfan was negligible compared to the states of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh. To be precise Kerala accounts for only one percent of the total consumption of the pesticide in India. Even then why at most adverse and harmful effects of endosulfan was observed and reported only from Kerala.
2. Did we follow all necessary protocols of good agricultural practices and safety precautions when we applied this pesticide in Kerala. Kerala is the only state to carry out aerial spraying for the application of endosulfan in its plantations. But we have reports showing endosulfan is not suitable for aerial spraying. Also some reports underlines that the topography of kasargode plantations where endosulfan was applied did not suite aerial application mode.
3. Along with endosulfan there are also several other pesticide which are in use in almost all the affected areas of endosulfan. This does decrease the intensity of the thought that endosulfan is solely responsible all the hazardous turnouts in these areas.
4. We have some studies and reports regarding the harmful effects of effects of endosulfan. But there was significant time period between the conducted study actual spraying of endosulfan. So how strongly we can say that the results and findings are giving the exact venomous nature of endosulfan. Why other states support endosulfan?
All the mentioned contradictions of allegations over the harmful effects of endosulfan and lack of proper substitute definitely tend one to think in favor of the endosulfan. Apart from this endosulfan has also got plenty of advantageous sides which helps agriculture financially and in practice. Half life period (time required for half of quantity to disintegrate, disintegration rate.) of endosulfan is pretty low. Price of endosulfan is below Indian rupees 300 for one liter – that for cultivation of a one acre of cotton we will have to spend only INR just above 100 rupees and only 50 rupees per acre for vegetable cultivation. So it is quite clear why it is difficult to find an apt substitute for the cheap endosulfan (presently available substitute's costs almost 6 times the cost of endosulfan). It is worth mentioning that the endosulfan has nothing to do with the honey bees and plenty of other insects which are helpful in the pollination of fruits and vegetables. As we all know India is one of the largest producers of fruits and vegetables globally.So the abolishment of endosulfan will arise economical danger for the farmers throughout our country. No doubt such a situation will negatively the effect the growth graph of India's productivity sector.Some scientific flaws happened in Kerala
1. There were plenty of water streams and sources near the plantations of kasargode so the possibilities of nearby well and drinking sources getting polluted were huge.
2. Aerial Spraying :the geography of the plantations with steep slopes in kasargode is highly favorable for runoffs of the sprayed pesticide. Also certain scientific practices also employed world wide regarding the concentrations used for the aerial spraying of pesticides. According to these terms there is a precise amount of dilution rate (something like .001 percent in the solution) for the solution used to spray aerially. There is also a defined amount of height from where the spraying has to be done. It seems that both of the facts were ignored in spraying done by Plantation Corporation of Kerala (PCK). It is quite logical to believe that a high percent of solution used in the case of hand spray was also used for the aerial spraying. Also according to certain government reports, because of other trees in the plantations, the spray planes where flown over the 10 meters mark. These all might have resulted into a harmful turnout of the events.
So what should be our stand?
No doubt endosulfan is poisonous. (In fact all the pesticides are poisonous) But there are really good sides for this pesticide, considering that the harmful effects of the pesticide where prominent only in Kerala. So before blindly supporting the ban of endosulfan we will have to analyze and restate our stand.
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