Nagpur: There has been a sudden spurt in cases of poisoning due to pesticide inhalation, with numerous patients reaching Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) at Yavatmal in the last 2-3 days. Over 15 patients have reached the hospital during this period. Out of them six are in critical state. So far, GMCH Yavatmal alone has taken in 72 patients, said sources here.
With 55 being discharged, 22 continue to be under treatment at the medical college. If the count at Akola too is considered, the number of admissions due to inhalation poisoning has crossed 100. Around 38 person have ben admitted at the GMC in Akola, said sources. One of the patients admitted at GMC Akola died last month.
This is despite the series of preventive measures taken by the state government after 63 deaths took place throughout the state last year. The highest toll was in Yavatmal.
Agriculture department officials have maintained that these are cases of unsafe handling of pesticides. Thousands of safety kits have been pumped in by the government, aided by the pesticide companies.
The state government officials also argue that there is a likelihood of cases of suicides being claimed as those of accidental inhalation. This is because death due to accidental inhalation leads to compensation of Rs4 lakh as against Rs1 lakh for suicides.
Kishore Tiwari, chairman of Vasantrao Deshpande Shetkari Swavalamban Mission (VNSSM), accepted that spraying operations have increased due to which the number of cases have gone up too. This has been a yearly phenomenon in rural areas.
