Effect of Endosulphan insecticide on Lepidoptera

[Ed Reinertsen]

Endosulphan- The Killer is Back

Binu Mathew

Padre is in the news again. This small village in the northern most district
of Kerala state was getting into the front pages of newspapers in the state
and India all for the wrong reasons. Population of Padre is only 2,000. But
this tiny population have been suffering the ill effects of Endosulphan, an
insecticide sprayed aerially to protect the cashew nut plantation belonging
to the Kerala State Farming Corporation. 

To prevent tea-mosquito attack, the insecticide is sprayed through
helicopter, thrice a year. The cashew plantation is situated at hilltops or
at a very high elevations everywhere. As such, particles of insecticide is
carried kilometres away by wind. Even a week after the spray, the whole
village contains a sickening smell of the pesticides. The spraying have been
going on there for 22 years. Endosulphan belongs to the organochlorine group
of pesticides which is highly toxic. It is absorbed through skin, mucosa and
orally. Resultant health hazards include skin diseases, asthma, neurological
problems, carcinoma, infertility, mental retardation, liver damage etc


In Padre, during the last 10 years, 53 people died due to cancer. 49 people
developed mental illness. 38 people became mentally retarded and 33 people
epileptic and for 17 eye diseases. Studies conducted there revealed
conclusively that these were directly due to the aerial spraying of the
killer insecticide, endosulphan. Government of Kerala had banned the aerial
spraying of endosulphan. But now the department of agriculture has come out
with the circular that endosulphan may be distributed through its local
outlets with government subsidy.


The ban on aerial spraying was imposed after the findings of the commission
led by Dr. Achuthan and by the legislative fact finding team of Kerala state
assembly. Both these teams arrived there after years of protest by
villagers. The government of kerala imposed a five year ban on the use of
endosulphan in cashew plantations. Now with the new circular the ban is as
good as lifted. 

Eventhough one of the worst cases of deliberate pollution of air and water
was going on in this tiny hamlet for years, neither the state government nor
the government of India has not yet found it necessary to conduct a study.
The data we get is collected by Dr. Y. S. Mohankumar, who is practicing in
this village for years.

More Links:

Indian children in pesticide controversy


http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/south_asia/newsid_1860000/1860754.stm

Letter from Journalist Shree Padre seeking help

http://www.safe2use.com/ca-ipm/01-01-05b.htm

Death from air: Tragedy of Padre

http://www.farmedia.org/bulletins/bulletin5.html

Pesticide menace spreads its tentacles to Karnataka 


http://www.cseindia.org/html/eyou/health/dtearticals/dte_31oct.htm

 

 

 

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From: owner-leps-l at lists.yale.edu [mailto:owner-leps-l at lists.yale.edu] On
Behalf Of Kishen.Das at gxs.com
Sent: Wednesday, December 21, 2005 10:16 AM
To: leps-l at lists.yale.edu
Subject: Effect of Endosulphan insecticide on Lepidoptera

 

Dear All,

 

    Has any of you studied the effect of Endosulphan on Butterflies and
Moths ? For last few months we are seeing hundreds of butterflies dying in
the kerala state of India in a Mango Plantation.Here they are using
Endosulphan extensively. The species which are affected are Euploea core,
Euploea sylvester, Tirumala limniace, Tirumala septentrionis, Pachliopta
hector, Papilio polymnestor and Danaus genutia.

 

 Any information in this regard will be highly appreciated as the lives of
many lepidopteran species is at stake.

 

Regards,

Kishen Das

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