Arup Roy cautions farmers against unsafe use of pesticides

Bengal Cooperation Minister Arup Roy on Wednesday asked farmers to purchase pesticides and bio-pesticides only from registered pesticide dealers having valid license.

"Special precautions must be taken during transport, storage and handling. Spray equipment should be regularly cleaned and maintained to prevent leaks," Roy cautioned the farmers speaking at a function here.

The minister also observed that people who work with pesticides should receive proper training in their safe use.

The Bengal Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BCC&I) in association with Hindustan Insecticides Limited (HIL) and Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) organised the programme to make awareness on Safe Uses of Pesticides.

Modern agricultural practices hold great promise for economic development. Farm productivity is directly proportional to the use of agrochemicals as observed from the first Green Revolution.

"But improper and unsafe use of these agrochemicals, especially pesticides, are not only harmful to the environment but also for human health," the organisers said.

Drawing attention towards a wide range of human health hazards caused by unsafe use of pesticide, Satyabrata Mukherjee, Chairperson of Agriculture and Rural Development Committee.

The Bengal Chamber, said: "It may cause health hazards ranging from short-term impacts such as headaches and nausea to chronic impacts like cancer, reproductive harm and endocrine disruption.