Data reveals different chemical mixes were used by farmers

Yavamal: When news about the pesticide-related deaths broke out first, it was believed that the 19 victims of Yavatmal district had used a lethal combination of profefonos with cypermethrin chemicals. Now, when data has been compiled by the agriculture department it shows that each of them had made his own lethal concoction and that profefonos and cypermethrin were not used in all cases.

As reported by TOI in the last few days, Bt cotton plants, which were supposed to be pest resistant, attracted hordes of pests like pink bollworm, jassids, thrips and white flies forcing desperate farmers to try out different pesticides. They did it without taking protective measures and succumbed after inadvertently inhaling the chemical while spraying.

Some of the brands used by the farmers are made by reputed companies, including listed entities like United Phosphorus, Insecticides India Limited and Syngenta — a multinational company.

The Profex Super brand which makes the combination of profefonos-cypermethrin has been used in six out of 11 deaths. It is made by Andhra Pradesh-based Nagarjuna Fertilisers which is a major player in the business. The chemical is recommended for bollworm pests. The packets carry a yellow triangle mark which means it is ranked second in terms of risk.

It was used as a mix with some other pesticide in five cases. In nine cases, Profex was not used at all. For example, Gajanan Fulmali, of Sawargaon village in Kalamb tehsil, had used Phoskill and Asatop. The former is a red triangle pesticide, which means most dangerous, and Asatop packets have a blue mark, which means the least risk. Phoskill is produced by United Phosphorus.

The other brand names used by farmers include Monocil, Polo Streamrich Tomic, Metastis Stop, Monocrotofos,, Laser, Police and Mono. "The brands are approved by the Central Insecticide Board," said an agriculture official here, adding, "These are used for other pests like white fly and sucking pest."

So far the type of poison which has killed the patients has not been ascertained. "The names of the brands have been recorded on the basis of statements by the survivors who in many cases could not produce the empty packets," say the official.

"Farmers believe that spraying a mix of all pesticides will lead to better results. There was bollworm in the area but it was below the threshold level of economic loss. Eager to get better results as the crop was favourable, farmers increased the intensity of the spraying," said the official.

The state government has booked the manufacturers of Polo and Police brand for culpable homicide for the recent deaths. In the case of Polo, made by Syngenta, the makers have been booked because the dealers were given the product without issuing the principal certificate. The certificate is mandatory for a dealer to get a license to sell a particular pesticide.

Police, made by Gujarat's Gharda Chemicals, is recommended to be used on sugar cane yet it was pushed in large numbers in Yavatmal where there is minuscule cultivation of the crop. "The distributors tried to push it as a pesticide recommended for cotton which amounts to misinforming the farmer," said the agriculture official.