Doctors’ association urges government to act on paraquat poisoning

In order to address the growing concern over paraquat poisoning, the Healthcare Reforms Doctors Association (HRDA) has urged the Telangana government to take action against the use of the toxic herbicide.

A meeting on the issue was convened at the Karimnagar District Collectorate conference hall on Thursday, chaired by District Collector Pamela Satpathy.

The meeting saw the participation of district agriculture officials, pesticide dealers, and medical professionals, who collectively recommended either a complete ban on paraquat or the enforcement of stringent regulatory measures to curb its misuse.

Among the proposed safety protocols, it was recommended that pesticide retailers must obtain a signed undertaking from consumers before selling paraquat. Additionally, retailers would be required to maintain a detailed register with the consumer’s name, age, village, phone number, Aadhaar number, and a photocopy of their land ownership document.

Further, the officials proposed that retailers verify each sale by consulting village or mandal agriculture officers prior to handing over the herbicide. To promote awareness, the use of educational materials such as posters and banners was suggested. Farmers and the general public are to be informed of the herbicide’s extreme toxicity, especially given the absence of an antidote for paraquat poisoning, said a release.