Ban Paraquat immediately!

Indian Medical Assn, Leaders from BJP, BRS & Congress unanimous on the ban

MAHESH AVADHUTHA I hyderabad

It is on rare occasions that all present in a roundtable conference concur on an idea. Leaders from all parties including Congress, BJP and BRS stood united on the demand for an immediate ban on the highly toxic herbicide Paraquat Dichloride at a round table conference convened by the Indian Medical Association Telangana State unit here on Tuesday.

The call for a ban stems from rising deaths (read rural suicides) in Telangana. What is more! Its use causes environmental damage as well. Warangal MP Dr Kadiyam Kavya described the herbicide as “more dangerous than cyanide,” warning that even two or three drops entering the body can prove fatal. “This is not only a threat to farmers but to future generations.

It is destroying soil fertility and pushing unaware people toward irreversible consequences,” she said, adding, “My fight will continue until Paraquat is completely banned.” She announced plans to mobilize MPs across parties, collect signatures and submit a representation to the Union Health and Agriculture Ministers. “We will raise this issue in Parliament as well,” she stressed.

Malkajgiri MP Eatala Rajender expressed hope for a definitive resolution. “There is every possibility of a 100 percent ban. We know that ingestion leads to almost certain death. I do hope that the Centre will impose a ban on this pesticide although multinational companies will do everything to stop it,” he said. He added that he would meet Union Ministers and continue his struggle until the herbicide is withdrawn.

Rajya Sabha MP Suresh Reddy, former MP B Vinod Kumar and Congress MLA Kavvampalli Satyanarayana also backed the demand. Satyanarayana stated, “We will take the doctors to meet Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. He is aware of the issue. While regulation may fall under the Centre’s purview, we will press for action at every level.”

Telangana Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Commission Chairman Kodanda Reddy called the matter critical. “Farmers are innocent and often lack full awareness. Our ancestors did not depend on such chemicals. Today agriculture has become chemical driven, largely benefiting multinational corporations. This weedicide is claiming human lives and degrading our soil,” he said, urging immediate prohibition.

The meeting was chaired by IMA Telangana State President Dr P Kishan at the IMA Building in Koti. Past IMA President Dr D Dwarakanatha Reddy and Dr Mahesh Reddy, who was one of the organisers of the conference, recalled that sustained advocacy had earlier led to the national ban on Endosulfan and expressed confidence that a similar collective effort would succeed against Paraquat.