BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha state government on Wednesday requested the Centre to impose a complete ban on the manufacturing, distribution, sale and use of paraquat, a toxic chemical that is widely used as a herbicide by farmers of the state.
On the directive of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Agriculture Principal Secretary Arabinda Padhee wrote to the Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare secretary requesting him to pass an appropriate order under section 27 (2) of the Insecticide Act, 1968.
“As per a report of the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT), paraquat and its derivatives are highly toxic chemicals and their effect on the human body is lethal. In a separate report, VIMSAR, Burla, a leading medical college has reported that 140 out of 149 patients admitted into the hospital died due to adverse effects of paraquat from September 2017 to August 2019,” the letter said.
The VIMSAR report further said that the use of paraquat has severely affected the kidneys and liver. Some of the patients have severe breathing problems due to their toxic effects. The medical college authority had recommended the state government for a complete ban of the herbicide.
Similarly, collectors and chief district agriculture officers of 15 districts have reported to the state government that people are committing suicide by consuming paraquat. As many as 13 farmers in Nayagarh district have lost their lives due to the toxic effect of the herbicide, Padhee said.