ToxicsWatch
Alliance
To
Shri Srikant Jena
Union Minister
Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers
Government of India
New Delhi
Date: July 22, 2013
Subject- Urgent need for safety from
hazardous chemicals, inventory of hazardous chemicals
Sir,
I wish to draw your attention
towards the insecticide that was responsible for the Mid Day Meal tragedy on
July 16, 2013 at the Dharma Sati Primary School, Mashrak, Chapra in Saran
district, Bihar and the failure of your ministry to ensure safety of Indians
from hazardous chemicals.
I submit that your ministry which is
the focal point for issues related to unprecedented tragedy caused by Union
Carbide Corporation should intervene to ensure safety of Indians from hazardous
chemicals in the wake of recent chemical insecticide tragedy in Bihar.
I submit that monocrotophos, an
insecticide has been detected in the probe by the Bihar Government’s agency.
This insecticide is also manufactured Hindustan Insecticides Limited (HIL),
which is under your ministry. Other manufacturers of monocrotophos include
Hindustan Ciba Geigy Ltd, Bharat Pulverizing Mills Ltd., Lupin, National
Organic Chemical Industries Ltd, Sudarshan and United Phosphorus. Their
stringent regulation merits your urgent attention.
I submit that HIL should be asked to
prepare an inventory of hazardous chemical insecticides which it manufactures
and recall all the containers which is used for distribution.
I submit that this issue is directly
related to absence of inventory of hazardous chemicals in the country. The widespread
availability of hazardous chemicals, chemical insecticides and absence of
method to deal with obsolete insecticides and their containers which are
contaminated with insecticides has remained off the radar so far.
I submit that your ministry should
set a high powered committee to set up systems and processes to ensure safety from
hazardous chemicals.
I submit that Organophosphorous, a
chemical used as an insecticide has been identified and found to be responsible
for deaths and diseases of school children. Organophosphate-containing
insecticides parathion, monocrotophos, malathion,
methyl parathion, chlorpyrifos, diazinon, dichlorvos, phosmet, fenitrothion,
tetrachlorvinphos, azamethiphos, and azinphos methyl.
I submit that according to
International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS), WHO which works to establish
the scientific basis for the sound management of chemicals, the ingestion of
120 mg monocrotophos can be fatal. (Reference: IPCS, 1993).
I submit that monocrotophos is used
for control of a broad spectrum of pests including sucking, chewing and boring
insects and spider mites on cotton, paddy, sugarcane, vegetables, ground nut,
soya bean, tea, coffee etc.
As per WHO classification based on
oral toxicity, monocrotophos is highly hazardous. WHO recommends that for the
health and welfare of workers and the general population, the handling and
application of monocrotophos should be entrusted only to competently supervised
and well-trained applicators, who must follow adequate safety measures and use
the chemical according to good application practices. It is clear that these
recommendations have not been internalized by regulatory agencies in India.
I submit that all waste and
contaminated material associated with this chemical should be considered
hazardous waste, according to FAO Guidelines on Prevention of Accumulation of
Obsolete Pesticide Stocks and The Pesticide Storage and Stock Control Manual.
I submit that your agencies too
should be involved in the probe to identify the name of the Organophosphate
insecticide involved and its manufacturer. The responsibility and liability of
this manufacturer must be fixed. The probe must recommend take back policy so
that these manufacturers have an Extended Producers Responsibility with regard
to its residual insecticides and their containers.
I submit that most home uses of
organophosphorus insecticides have been phased out in countries like USA. The
US Environmental Protection Agency lists the organophosphate parathion as a
possible human carcinogen. The World Health Organization, Pesticide Action
Network (PAN) and several environmental organisations have sought a general and
global ban on it. Its use is banned or restricted in 23 countries and its
import is illegal in a total of 50 countries. Its use was banned in the U.S. in
2000 and it has not been used since 2003. The usage of such insecticides
continues to be used because of the political patronage enjoyed by the
manufacturers of these insecticides.
I submit that your ministry should
initiate efforts to recall Organophosphorus chemical pesticides, which is
responsible for about 200,000 deaths annually. Organophosphorus pesticides
cause poisoning by inhibiting release of enzymes.
I submit that your ministry has done
nothing to save people poisoning caused by hazardous chemicals although this is
an important aspect related to human health.”
I submit that consumption of
chemical pesticides in Bihar is matter of serious concern because the state has
the potential to be a leader in natural organic farming. As per information
available with Central Insecticides Board & Registration Committee projected
demand of chemical pesticides for the year 2010-11 was 1084 MT in Bihar. This
included 530 MT and 554 MT Kharif and Rabi crops respectively. The consumption
of chemicals pesticides was 828 MT for the year 2009-10 inclusive of 374 MT for
Kahrif and 454 Rabi crops. Consumption of pesticides in Bihar was 850 MT during
2004-05.
I submit that there are 5525 sale
points for distribution of pesticides in Bihar as on August 1, 2010. These distributors should be made to take
back the contaminated containers and the residual insecticides.
I submit that lessons from the
insecticides tragedy in Bihar should not be forgotten. It creates a compelling
logic for proper management of pre-existing insecticides, their containers and
to initiate steps to phase out organophosphates.
In view of the above facts and the
recent insecticide tragedy, I wish to seek your urgent intervention to ensure that
such tragedies are not repeated in future.
Thanking You
Yours
faithfully
Gopal
Krishna
ToxicsWatch
Alliance (TWA)
Mb:
09818089660, 08227816731
E-mail:gopalkrishna1715@gmail.com
Web:
www.toxicswatch.org
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