Side & Direct effects of pesticide use on Food & Health to be assessed.
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‘Indian Council of Medical Research to take up the project in seven States’
An Indian Council of Medical Research-sponsored health
impact study will be taken up in seven States which use maximum
pesticides for agriculture, according to Dr. V.M. Katoch, Secretary,
Department of Health Research and Director-General, ICMR.
Talking
to reporters after inaugurating a two-day international conference on
“Emerging issues on Health Effects of Pesticide Residues in Food and
Environment-Unmet Challenges and Research” organised by the National
Institute of Nutrition (NIN) here on Thursday, he said various health
facilities in those States, including private, PHCs and CHCs (community
health centres) would look into the possible side-effects due to
pesticide use.
Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and
Uttar Pradesh are among the high-pesticide consuming States in which the
study would be launched from March next.
He said the
health professionals would be looking into the side-effects relating to
reproduction, endocrine and neurology, among others. Subsequently, the
study would be expanded and all States would be covered.
Earlier,
inaugurating the meet, Dr. Katoch stressed the need for well-defined
population-based studies on the effect of pesticides involving medical,
agricultural and other experts.
In his key-note
address, Dr. Philippe Verger, WHO, Geneva, said by their nature,
pesticides were potentially toxic to humans. However, over 35 per cent
of the world’s food supply would be lost without the use of pesticides.
With already one billion hungry ( about 15 per cent of the human
population) and with an expected population of nine billion by 2050, the
world needs significant increase in food production.
He
said “moreover in a globalized market, food trade is also a source of
income for developing countries and a way to reduce poverty and speed up
development. Therefore, it is likely that a significant increase of
pesticide use will be an unavoidable consequence of this intensification
of food production, even if increasing voices are asking for a more a
sustainable development for the future than during the past century”.
Principal
Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Government of AP, L.V.
Subramanyam, said the results of research should translate into policy
framework that benefits humanity.
In-charge Director NIN, Kalpagam Polasa welcomed the delegates.
Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh are among the high-pesticide-consuming States
The study will be looking into the side-effects relating to reproduction, endocrine and neurology, among others
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