downtoearth-subscribe

What the report says

  • 14/07/2002

Two months after the spraying, FIPPAT study did not find endosulfan residues. This is what NIOH found 10 months later. Even months after the spraying, blood samples of young children had deadly endosulfan residues. Remember, there is no standard for this pesticide in blood because there is no safe level.

Total endosulfan residue
(in parts per billion (ppb))
Water in pond near Kodenkiri stream 0.0667
Well water near school 0.0209
Well water near house 0.0204
Blood samples of children from Vaninagar school
Code 1 78.74
Code 4 28.44
Code 6 48.09
Code 104 33.57

congenital abnormalities: Significantly higher in the exposed group of females as compared to the control group. Congenital heart and skeletal abnormalities were also high. Exposure linked to genotoxic agent, which could be endosulfan in this case.
  Control (% of people
affected in the group)
Exposed (% of people
affected in the group)
Congential abnormalities 1.09 5.8

neurological problems: Significantly higher prevalence of learning disabilities, low IQ and scholastic backwardness were found. Exposure to some neurotoxic agent, possibly endosulfan, during development stages.
  Control (% of people
affected in the group)
Exposed (% of people
affected in the group)
Learning disability 2.60 10.7
Retained in same class 13.50 20.40

abnormalities in reproductive system: Findings are striking and point to exposure to an endocrine disruptor. Girls attain menarche early, menstrual disorders frequent. Boys' puberty delayed. Signify exposure to oestrogenic substances and endosulfan is experimentally shown to have oestrogenic effects.
  Control (% of people
affected in the group)
Exposed (% of people
affected in the group)
Menstrual disorders 4 21.80

  • Tags:

Related Content