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Left to right: Maneka Ghandi, Dr. M.G.K. Menon (former Ministers) and V.P. Singh (former Prime Minister) |
A number of prominent activists,
scientists, social scientists and politicians were present at a meeting in July
held to discuss the official report, Surveillance of Food Contaminants in India
of 1993, prepared by the ICMR. The meeting, organised by an NGO in Delhi, was
the brainchild of Maneka Gandhi (former Indian Environment Minister) who is
known for her environmental and public interest work. Former Prime Minister VP
Singh also attended the seminar (see photo).
The report was a result of seven years
work covering 12 States, carried out at six prestigious government food testing
labs (see PN 21 p. 10). The analysis covered bovine and infant milk foods which
were analysed for DDT and HCH. For other food samples, analysis was extend to
the presence of metals and aflatoxins. Unlike similar government reports, this
document was widely circulated and had attracted considerable public attention
locally, especially as it concerned milk—an important source of nutrition
especially for the young and elderly. Milk is also rated very highly amongst
vegetarians (over 50% of the 800 million population) and is often taken during
illness and convalescence.
The results
Dr GS Toteja, who summed up the ICMR report assessing
residues in milk and infant foods, pointed out that from 2,205 samples of bovine
milk 85% of the milk samples contained HCH isomers (alpha, beta, gamma or delta)
above the tolerance limits. In the case of gamma-HCH, 28% of samples were above
the tolerance limit of 0.01 mg/kg as set out under the Prevention of Food
Adulteration Act on a whole milk basis. In the case of DDT, 82% of the milk
samples were contaminated, about 37% of these above the tolerance limit of 0.05
mg/kg on a whole milk basis.
The highest HCH contamination was in the State of Andhra
Pradesh, followed by Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. In Maharashtra, 74% of DDT samples
exceeded the upper limit. Of the 186 samples of baby foods (of 20 commercial
brands), DDT was present in about 70% of the samples and HCH in 94%. Out of 32
Indian states, 25 had not been taking residue samples from milk.
No prosecutions/no limits
It was observed that there had been no prosecutions or
warnings issued since permissible limits were introduced in 1968. It also
emerged that no pesticide limits had been set for animal feedstuff, water, air
or soil.
Recommendations
The seminar adopted a 10 point resolution pointing out
the intolerable level of pesticides in milk, the dangers to health and general
apathy from officialdom—particularly regarding research and development into
alternatives to dangerous pesticides. Concern was expressed for the
environment—protecting the generations to come. In this respect, farmers and
NGOs should be supported in taking up sustainable ecological farming. A call was
made to set up a Watchdog Task Force to take up these issues.
AT Dudani is President, Society for
Citizen Concerns, C-35 Panchsheel Enclave, New Delhi, 11017, India.
[This article first appeared in Pesticides News No. 25, September 1994, page 14]