Yavatmal: At least 20 farmers in Maharashtra’s Yavatmal district have died allegedly after inhaling poisonous pesticides over past one month. The district falls under drought-prone Vidarbha region. Media reports quoted a farmer alleging that more than 700 farmers have been hospitalised while 25 have lost vision due to infection caused by spraying pesticides.
According to a petition filed by Anand Narayan Jammu, a social worker, as many as 19 farmers and farm labourers took ill and died after being exposed to pesticides during spraying on cotton crop in the past one month. The petition filed with Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court also sought a compensation of Rs 20 lakh for families of the deceased and Rs 10 lakh for those affected by pesticide poisoning.
Meanwhile, chairman of Maharashtra government-run Vasantrao Nail Sheti Swavlamban Mission (VNSSM) Kishor Tiwari said an investigation will be carried out into the reports of pesticide poisoning and if chemicals are found to be toxic beyond the permissible limit, their use can be banned.
“Farmers are not taking necessary precautions. They should cover their faces and avoid spraying when there is intense heat,” said the VNSSM chief. VNSSM, a task force on agriculture, proposes to provide new crop loans to all farmers in 14 farmer suicide-prone districts of Vidarbha and Marathwada regions in the state.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the families of the farmers who died due to alleged pesticide poisoning.
