Theni farmers demand regular inspection of pesticide shops after two growers die in TN

Chennai: Farmers in Theni district of Tamil Nadu have demanded regular government inspections at pesticide shops in the district after two growers died after spraying pesticides in their farms.

The state agriculture department has temporarily banned the use of insecticides for controlling brown leaf hopper.

Two farmers, Gunasekharan (42) from Kappamadai area in Gudalar passed away at Government Medical College Hospital, Theni on October 1. A few days later, on October 8 another farmer, Pandian, (54) of Vettukadu in Theni also died in hospital.

The two farmers were admitted to hospital after they sprayed an insecticide, ‘Sapper’ in their fields, following which they vomited, complained of giddiness and fainted. They died within a few days of hospitalisation.

PM Mukundaraj, a farmer in Theni told IANS, “The farmers are being taken for a ride by some pesticide shops and there are no government inspections at these shops. It is to be inferred that the concentration of harmful pesticides was high in ‘Sapper’ leading to the deaths of the farmers.”

He demanded that the state agriculture department conduct regular inspections of shops that sell insecticides and pesticides and take immediate action against this.

The farmers’ associations have been holding regular protests after the demise of the two growers.

The farmers’ association has demanded that the state government provide a compensation of Rs 25 lakh each to the families of the two deceased growers and also provide a government job to one member each of the two families.

Bharatiya Kisan Farmers’ Association, Theni, district secretary, Sathish Kumar told media persons that the state agricultural department has failed to conduct periodic inspections of the pesticide shops.

However, an agriculture department official told IANS that the farmers would not have used proper safety precautions while spraying the insecticide.

He also said that only one pesticide should have been mixed with ‘Sapper’ but the farmers would have mixed more pesticides, resulting in the mishap.