Mondiaal FNV partner demands compensation and a ban on toxic pesticides

A year after a huge toxic pesticides scandal in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, there is still no clarity as to the cause and the consequence. Mondiaal FNV partner, agricultural workers’ union Nisarga, is working hard for the victims and for the employees. In addition, the union is tenaciously probing for information from the government. The union is also demanding a ban on 32 toxic pesticides, which are already banned in other countries.

Spraying pesticides. Photo Roderick Polak

A year after a huge toxic pesticides scandal in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, there is still no clarity as to the cause and the consequence. Mondiaal FNV partner, agricultural workers’ union Nisarga, is working hard for the victims and for the employees. In addition, the union is tenaciously probing for information from the government. The union is also demanding a ban on 32 toxic pesticides, which are already banned in other countries.

On 5 December 2020 things started to go wrong in Eluru, a city with over 200,000 inhabitants situated on the Tammileru river. Tributaries of the Krishna and Godavari also flow through the city. During the course of the evening, a resident was taken to the hospital with non-specific symptoms, while nevertheless feeling extremely sick. Over the course of the next few days, many more cases followed. A total of over 580 people were admitted to hospital with a mystery illness, including over 300 children. Blood samples from fifty patients displayed high levels of lead and nickel, which gave rise to the fear that the cause could be pesticide poisoning. The patients had different occupations and lived in different parts of the city, which made it difficult for researchers to locate the source of the illness.

Fungal and bacterial attack

The water from the rivers is consumed by the residents and for this reason water pollution was suspected. The city is dependent on water from the agricultural areas. In these areas there is extensive rice, vegetable and maize production. Seed production too. It is not without reason that FNV’s seed project is carried out in this area. In the second half of 2020, the farmers were confronted with a serious fungal and bacterial attack on their crops, which led to large-scale pesticide spraying. The increase in mosquitoes in this area also led to excessive spraying. Symptoms reported by victims such as seizures, tremors and loss of consciousness indicate neurological disorders and are highly typical in cases of pesticide poisoning.

We discovered that 32 pesticides are used in India that have long been banned internationally"

Union organises public hearing

In the weeks that followed, six people died from the mystery illness, including two children. It gradually became clear that the outbreak could indeed be attributed to pesticides, which were poisoning the drinking water. Nisarga coordinator Chennaiah Poguri is highly critical of the procedure that was carried out. “The government sent highly qualified doctors to Eluru. Everyone happy then, because that meant the sick people were in good hands. However, after that absolutely nothing happened. An investigation was conducted, a report was prepared, but up to present time we have received no information. On 26 October we organised a public hearing, during which government officials promised to release the reports. But we’re still waiting.”

Chennaiah Poguri

Preventing the scandal from being quietly dropped

Meanwhile, Nisarga did not sit around doing nothing. Trade union people gathered as many facts as they could themselves and shared these with the local population. Poguri: “So that the government won’t be able to quietly drop the scandal. A lot went on out of sight, as the disaster happened during the corona lockdown. We discovered that 32 pesticides are used in India, which have long been banned internationally. What is the effect on the employees? The government is taking no responsibility.”

Nisarga is demanding compensation for the affected families

Nisarga has formulated a number of demands to this effect. In the first place, they are demanding access to reports that have been prepared. “We have ourselves contacted the federal state government and the state hospital where the afflicted people were admitted. Both denied having any information. It is now down to the central government. Furthermore, we are demanding 500,000 rupees compensation for each of the families of the victims. And, finally, the government now has to take action in banning the 32 toxic pesticides.”