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Rampant pesticide use risks health
Published: July 19, 2009 Paneru found that the farmers used
the chemicals at wrong intervals.
KATHMANDU: Most of the “I was shocked to hear that they
commercially produced vegetables mix pesticides, insecticides and
Curriculum Development Centre
available in the market are found to vitamins together before spraying in
be unsafe for consumption, thanks to the ¿elds,” he said. The vegetables
an excessive use of chemicals must not be consumed for a number
during their cultivation.
of days after pesticide application.
“We are consuming poison along Farmers were found to be
with vegetables,” scientist Ram immediately sending their products
Babu Paneru at Nepal Agricultural off to the markets.
Research Council told this daily. Dr. Shree Baba Pradhan, senior
“The farmers have been using entomologist at NARC, blamed the
pesticides and insecticides government for the sorry state of
excessively in the farms, posing a affairs. “There are no effective
threat to human health. Paneru said policies on the implementation of
he recently visited vegetable farms the existing ones,” she said.
in Charaudi and Mahadevsthan CDC
“Consumers should be made aware
villages of Dhading, Empaphant and about their rights and the agro vets
Baradi of Tanahun and Tutunga need to be provided training on
village of Kaski districts.
pesticide application.”
“Unprescribed use of chemicals is Jeevan Prabha Lama, deputy
harmful for both the farmers and director general, Department of
consumers,” he said. “It spoils the Food Technology and Quality
taste of vegetables and has Control, said they were facing
environmental hazards.”
dif¿culties in carrying out the tests
Consumption of such chemicals due to poor facilities in the labs and
affects the nervous system and can staff shortages. She said markets
cause impotence, liver and kidney had been warned against the sale of
dysfunction. They can also cause such products.
disabilities in children and (Source: The Himalayan)
miscarriage in women, in addition to
causing skin, heart and eye ailments.
72 ENGLISH, Class 10
