Public awareness on the safety protocols through a sustained process of communication between the rural and urban populations is obviously best suited to health safety of the people in both Kashmir Valley and as well as Jammu division.
Recent civilian deaths in Rajouri being investigated by an inter-ministerial team of the Central Government have lately triggered an apprehension about the flow of pesticides in water pipes which if proved by substantial evidences would obviously bring the working of Jal Shakti Department previously called Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department under the scanner in Rajouri district. Even the horticulture department can be asked to explain the quality control measures that are being implementing by it to check the quality of pesticides used in the area. Agriculture sciences have many a times in the past said that children are more vulnerable to pesticide exposure because their organs, nervous systems and immune systems are initially in the developing stage and their ability to detoxify and excrete pesticides had been also found very low. Otherwise also the children known for increasing contact with floors, lawns and playgrounds are obviously more exposed to pesticides than the adults. As pesticides adversely impact both the environment and as well as human health, the onus of lowering the health and environmental risks through enhanced safety protocols lies collectively on the Government particularly the Health, Jal Shakti and Horticulture Departments not only in Rajouri district but also extensively in Kashmir Valley where pesticides are randomly used in apple orchards for about six months in peak summer season. Public awareness on the safety protocols through a sustained process of communication between the rural and urban populations is obviously best suited to health safety of the people in both Kashmir Valley and as well as Jammu division.
“Scientific information for human health protection against the use of pesticides as such is the key to introduction of safety protocols that can be better devised, drafted and implemented by the agriculture scientists of the twin agriculture universities of Kashmir and Jammu through intense collaboration with the agriculture and horticulture departments both in Kashmir Valley and as well as Jammu division. The health risks as such can be best reduced by the enforcement of safety protocols and launch of public awareness about the changes in the use of pesticides. Balancing the use of pesticides in the enforcement of safety protocols is as such best suited to the situation that is developing in the aftermath of civilian deaths at Budhal in Rajouri district.”
The agriculture scientists of the twin agriculture universities of Kashmir and division have a bigger role in improving the contacts with the people and make them understand the pesticide impacts on human health. For all practical purposes thrust has to be on responsible usage of pesticides which demands introduction of effective science-based policies and practices that safeguard human health and the environment. Scientific information for human health protection against the use of pesticides as such is the key to introduction of safety protocols that can be better devised, drafted and implemented by the agriculture scientists of the twin agriculture universities of Kashmir and Jammu through intense collaboration with the agriculture and horticulture departments both in Kashmir Valley and as well as Jammu division. The health risks as such can be best reduced by the enforcement of safety protocols and launch of public awareness about the changes in the use of pesticides. Balancing the use of pesticides in the enforcement of safety protocols is as such best suited to the situation that is developing in the aftermath of civilian deaths at Budhal in Rajouri district.
