Kerala Endosulfan Tragedy - 17/05/2023

WHY IN NEWS?
Recently, Supreme Court of India transfers Endosulfan case to Kerala High court for monitoring Government’s medical and palliative measures for victims.

WHAT IS ENDOSULFAN TRAGEDY IN KERALA?
• Endosulfan was sprayed in the Cashew Plantations in Kasaragod district since 1976, till 2001 regularly three times every year.
• The Aerial Spraying was allegedly undertaken to contain the menace of the Tea Mosquito Bug.
• After three years, the ill effects of endosulfan spraying came to notice.
• As early as 1979, stunted growth and deformed limbs were noticed among new born calves.
• By 1990’s health disorders of very serious nature among the human population came to the lime light.
• Children’s were found to be the worst affected with Congenital Anomalies, Mental Retardation, Physical Deformities, Cerebral Palsy, Epilepsy, Hydrocephalus etc.
• Men and women were also affected with various Chronic Ailments, many irreversible and difficult to treat.
• There is a high incidence of disorders of the Central Nerves System, Cancer and Reproductive disorders.
• Banned in more than 50 countries including INDIA, BRAZIL, and AUSTRALIA.
• Trade name of endosulfan are: THIONEX, ENDOCIL, PHASER, and BENZOEPIN.

WHAT IS ENDOSULFAN?
• Endosulfan is a pesticide developed in 1954.
• It is a cream – to brown – colored solid that may appear in the form of crystals or flakes.
• It has a smell like turpentine, but does not burn.
• It does not occur naturally in the environment.
• Endosulfan is used to control insects on food and non-food crops and also as a wood preservatives.
• More dense than water and nearly insoluble in water.
• Toxic by inhalation, skin absorption, or ingestion.

USES OF ENDOSULFAN:
• Effective against a wide range of insects like Beetles, Caterpillars, Woolly Apple Aphid, Colorado beetle, Leaf Hoppers and Cabbage Worms – by contact and stomach action.
• Used as a Pre-Harvest Insecticide on Fruits, Nuts, Vegetables, Field and Grain crops including Rice and Ornamentals.
• Also used on non- food crops such as Tobacco and Cotton.

HEALTH EFFECTS:
1. IN REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM:
• Harms by affecting semen quality, sperm count, spermatogenic cells, sperm morphology and other defects.
• Puberty delayed in boys.
• Infertility among men.
• Girls attain menarche early
• Menstrual disorders are frequent
• Endosulfan is experimentally shown to have Estrogenic effects.

2. IN NEUROLOGICAL PROBLEMS:
• Directly affects CNS and prevents it from working properly.
• Causes Nausea, Dizziness, Headache, Convulsions or even status Epillepticus in adults if exposed to higher doses.
• Learning disabilities, low IQ, scholastic backwardness.
• Severe poisoning may result in death within hours or days.

3. OTHER EFFECTS:
• Endosulfan Ingestion affects the Kidney and Liver.
• It inhibits Leukocyte and Macrophage migration
• It damages RBC at concentrations of 1 ppb-1ppm
• It causes mutations in mammals and may induce mutations in man if exposure is great.
• It is also a potential Tumor promoter.
• Birth defects have been seen in offspring’s of animals ingesting endosulfan during pregnancy

ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS:
• Released into environment as an insecticide.
• It can be transported over long distances in the atmosphere, but the compound is relatively immobile in soils.
• Endosulfan on crops, usually breaks down in a few weeks, but it sticks to soil particles and may take years to completely break down.
• It can build up in bodies of animals that live in endosulfan contaminated water.

RELIEF MEASURES TAKEN BY KERALA GOVERNMENT:
• The Kerala Social Security Mission is now providing monthly assistance of Rs 700/- pm to the caregivers of Endosulfan victims who are fully bedridden or mentally retarded under special Aswasakiranam scheme.

BAN OF ENDOSULFAN:
• The Kerala government was the first banned the use of endosulfan in 2005.
• In 2011, Stockholm Convention on persistent organic pollutants (POP’s) placed a global ban on the manufacture and use of endosulfan.
• In the same year, Supreme Court of India banned the use, manufacture and distribution of the pesticide.

Reference:
• sciencedirect.com
• pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
• ipleaders.in
• downtoearth.org.in