PHA-Exchange> "The lives of a generatineed to control the indiscriminate use of killer pesticides, " warns an international expert.

[aviva]

From: "UNNIKRISHNAN P V (Dr)" <unnikru at yahoo.com>
Urgent : PRESS RELEASE    
Bangalore, India: 25th July 2002
Greenpeace ,       Toxics Link,  Community Health Cell
CorpWatch  India,     Thanal,  Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti

"The lives of a generation are at stake.                               
                                          Efforts needed to control the
indiscriminate use of killer pesticides," warns an international
expert.

Tossing a ball is fun. But if a large number of children fail to catch
it, it is not a child's play, especially if the poor coordination is a
result of exposure to pesticides. Recent studies amongst the Mayo tribe
in the Yaqui valley of Mexico have made startling revelations.
"Children are the worst affected. Pesticides, used indiscriminately as
a catalyst for the Green revolution have put the lives of a whole
generation at risk. We have lessons to learn and it is a costly warning
signal," said Dr. Elizabeth A Guillette, a renowned anthropologist and
visiting professor at the University of Florida.

Dr. Guillette, perhaps one of the first scientists who studied the
fallout of the pesticides poisoning found "mental and physical
deficits" amongst children exposed to pesticides and chemicals.
"Pesticide-exposed children were not able to play and lead a normal
life. The exposed children also had poor co-ordination and balance,
memory problems and high infections rates," said Dr. Guillette. She is
in town to address a group of health, environmental and labour
activists, medical experts and mental health professionals who are
coming together for a three day event - CHESS-2 (Community Health
Environmental Survey Skillshare) at Bangalore from 26th-28th July,
2002. The skillshare aims to equip people from or working with
pollution impacted communities to assess community health, and use the
data for planning immediate and long-term health care interventions,
stopping pollution, and making the polluter pay.

Her observations and warnings will be the central theme for this
national event that will be attended by over 75 people from across the
country. A key highlight of this event will be the personal testimonies
of common people (pollution-impacted people) from some of the toxic
hotspots in India. Studies show that children are among the most
vulnerable to chemical poisoning. However, health and environmental
policy in India continue to be dictated by commercial interests rather
than scientific evidence. According to Dr. Kabra of the Indian
Institute of Health Management, Jaipur, an estimated 8,000 babies are
born with neural defects each year in Rajasthan just because of the
pesticide residues in food.

Concern among environmental activists and public health professionals
over the increasing health impacts due to pesticide pollution and its
irreversible damage on children's health has been unprecedented.
"Today, the medical establishment is incompetent and ill-equipped to
deal with Bhopal-like scenarios. There is an urgent need to involve
local communities in educating and preventing such fallouts, and
preparing for disasters in the unfortunate event that they happen,"
said Dr. Thelma Narayan, a public health expert associated with the
People's Health Movement, a global coalition. 

For the multibillion-dollar pesticide industry, though, public health
and health of future generations has been only secondary to the health
of its balance sheets. "The ongoing efforts by the industry to cover up
the endosulfan poisoning cases in Kasaragod, Kerala and Kokkada,
Karnataka exposes the extent to which pesticide manufacturers are
prepared to go to put profits ahead of people," said Dr. Narayan.

The studies and advice of Dr. Elizabeth comes at a most appropriate
time when reports from places around the country suggest that we may
have many Yaqui valleys in our own backyards.

Three weeks prior to the Earth Summit in Johannesburg, this national
event once again highlights the lack of progress made since Rio in
preventing pollution, safeguarding public health and holding polluters
liable.

Dr. Thelma Narayan                                              Manu
Gopalan
Community Health Cell                                              
Greenpeace