20 Farmers Dead, 700 Sick Due to Toxic Pesticides in Maharashtra

Pesticide poisoning has allegedly spread in Yavatmal, where 20 farmers have died and 25 have lost their vision.

Over 20 farmers have died in Maharashtra’s Yavatmal and over 700 have been hospitalised, of which 25 are believed to have lost their vision, due to inhalation of pesticides, as Devanand Pawar, a farmers’ leader said on Sunday.

Farmers are getting no relief, instead, they are losing their lives like this. We will drag this matter to court.

Kishore Tiwari, the chairman of VSNN Mission, a body which helps farmers with crop loans, stated that farmers were not taking necessary precautions in Yavatmal.

Our principal secretary, Director of Quality Control and Disaster Management team is active in Yavatmal... Farmers not taking necessary precautions. They should cover their faces. There is intense heat so they shouldn’t be spraying during that time. 

Tiwari also stated that it will be assessed if the pesticides are toxic in larger quantities and their banning will then be discussed.

(With inputs from ANI)

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