AGRICULTURAL CHEMICALS AND PUBLIC

HEALTH PREVENTION,SURVEILANCE
AND RELIEF IN THE CONTEXT OF
NORTHERN KERALA.
FIELD PRACTICUM AGENCY:KERALA SHASTRA SAHITHYA
PARISHATH(KSSP)

Context
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Use of agricultural chemicals, pesticides and chemical fertilizers and

its probable health impact.

Study Area:Kasargod District in Kerala where health problems were

reported after aerial spraying of endosulfan for a longer period.

People mobillized against the chemical and government appointed

about 11 committees including ICMR,NHRC etc.

Kerala High Court ordered to ban the chemical in 2003.

Since endosulfan have high persistance expousure is still there.

Rationale
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The victims didnt get adequate relief and government is struggling

with identification of right victims and attributing the risk.

Till now only karnataka and kerala banned endosulfan and other
states are favorable to the use since its broad spectrum and cheap.

So robust surveillance and monitoring mechanisms needed.

To prevent such scenarios in future health impact assesments and

proper risk communication is inevitable.

Objectives
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To explore how to identify rightful victims of endosulfan exposure

considering all relevant health problems.

To explore various measures and guidelines to give better health

relief and rehabilitation, gap analysis of measures already there.

To identify various measures for monitoring and surveillance of

agricultural chemicals including pesticides and fertilizers.

To identify preventive measures which can be adopted in order to

keep away similar tragedies in the future.

To do health impact assessment and suggest proper risk

communication on the issue.

Plan of Action
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Literature review on agricultural chemicals and its health impact.

Literature review on Risk analysis of environmental exposure of
agricultural chemicals.
Collection of secondary data available regarding victims and
provisioning of services.
Estimation of health and social burden due to endosulfan to support
relief programmes.
GIS mapping of affected areas with contamination levels to monitor
pesticide use.
Review of literature on preventive public health measures on
agricultural chemicals related problems.
Health impact assessment using the collected data.
Drafting a monograph on objectives with a policy brief.

References
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REPORT ON HEALTH EFFECTS OF ENDOSULFAN AND PROGRESS OF

REHABILITATION ACTIVITIES IN KERALA,2011

HEALTH HAZARDS OFAERIAL SPRAYING OF ENDOSULPHAN IN

KASARAGOD DISTRICT, KERALA.