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---------------------------------------------- Apathy towards pesticide poisoning ----------------------------------------------
by VAMAN NAIK
Consumers got another bolt recently when the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a Delhi-based NGO recently revealed that the level of pesticides in 12 different brands of cold drinks contain pesticides and heavy metals in excess of permissible limits set by European Union.
Four of the pesticides found in India are extremely toxic, which in the long run could cause cancer and damage the nervous and reproductive system, among other hassles. Few months earlier to the surprise of consumers it was found that bottled water available in India is unhealthy.
CSE won its spurs by bringing down pollution level in Delhi just six months ago, the CSE�s tests of bottled drinking water sold by MNCs revealed levels of toxity that would not meet international regulations. It has pointed out that norms set for soft drink industry are so weak that it is impossible to take legal action even for a serious lapse. The standards set for ensuring the quality of food products and the procedures exhibit scandalous lacuna.
It is clear that the Bureau of Indian Standards and other government bodies are actually napping. The matter falls between different ministries, even after so much hue and cry bottled water companies have not changed their manufacturing process to ensure water purity.
In fact in April this year, the Supreme Court issued notices to five central government ministries on a public interest petition regulation on the use of pesticides. The petitioner, Strishty � an NGO working in the area of toxins and their effect on the environment and human health, expressed serious concern over alarming high levels of pesticide contamination in foods such as wheat, milk, tea, edible oil, fish, vegetables and fruits.
Inspite of consistent efforts by the NGOs, research institutions and others
the problem is assuming serious dimensions in the country. As rightly pointed
by the CSE director, these MNCs operate within the prevalent food laws in India,
but they exercise double standards, as their products in US contain no pesticides.
The problem with soft drinks manufactured in India is that the raw materials source is groundwater and the groundwater in India contains pesticides. The charge is that the MNCs are not treating the groundwater adequately to bring down the pesticides.
According to CSE, they do not have the technology here to treat the water. And ironically in India, water has not been given the food status and hence it escapes various laws and supply regulations. If it were otherwise, agencies responsible for supplying drinking water would have been forced to comply with purity and quality standards.
The problem of pesticides in food and water is well known. The question is
who is doing something about it. The virtual absence of regulatory framework
to control the amount of pesticides is nothing less than constitutional violation,
which guarantees the right to life. Further it is the state, which is under obligation
to protect and improve the public health. The soft drinks issue has once again
exposed the power of the state to safeguard its citizens.
Large section of the population cannot hold any institution of the country accountable for the quality. This has made it easier for the MNCs to dump poor quality products on us. The CSE�s report indicates that the same companies comply with the highest quality standards in US. The time has now come for a stricter regulation.
The pesticide industry is busy lobbying with the government to prevent stricter regulation. In early June, the Indian Chemicals Manufacturing Association issued a statement not to ratify Stockholm Convention, as the legally binding treaty would be detrimental to the health of the Indian chemical industry.
It is to be hoped that the Supreme Court would favourably consider the demand for setting up food safety counsel with powers to ensure that all food sold is free from pesticides.
The ball is now in the court of the consumers. Real change can take place if the public shed their apathy and take more active interest in the issue. ----------------------------------------------------- The Navhind Times 18/8/03 page 12 ----------------------------------------------------- ======================================= GOA DESC RESOURCE CENTRE Documentation + Education + Solidarity 11 Liberty Apts., Feira Alta, Mapusa, Goa 403 507 Tel: 2252660 mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] website: www.goadesc.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Working On Issues Of Development & Democracy =======================================
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