Growers, consumers at risk

Indiscriminate spraying of pesticides in crop fields, especially those used for vegetable cultivation, poses serious health hazards for both the farmers and consumers across the district.

Farmers hardly use personal protective equipment (PPE) and masks while spraying pesticide, and so, they remain under high risk of different diseases, especially lung problems, headache, dysentery, vomiting, fever, and weakness.

They often use excessive amounts of pesticides in the vegetable fields with the hope of getting bumper yield, and they reap and sell it within a few hours of spraying the chemicals, putting consumers under serious health risk.

"I use pesticides to kill insects but I don't know about the quantity of using pesticide. I have never got any suggestion from agriculture officials about using pesticides," said Abdul Jabbar, 50, a vegetable grower at Karnopur village in Lalmonirhat Sadar.

"Very often we use pesticides on vegetable plants in the afternoon and harvest it the next morning to sell in the local market. It is not possible to grow better vegetables without using pesticides," said Soleman Miah, 55, another vegetable grower at the same village.

Jobed Miah, 26, a farmer at Fulgachh village of Mogholhat union in Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila, was seen spraying pesticide in his cauliflower field without wearing PPE, even mask.

"I know that spraying pesticide without wearing PPE and mask is harmful. We don't have the ability to purchase PPE. I have a mask but I feel uneasy if I wear it," he said.

Saber Ali, 55, another farmer at the same village, said he does not know the necessity of wearing PPE and mask during spraying of pesticide in the crop field.

He, however, admitted that he suffers from fever, pain and headache after spraying pesticide.

Dabiar Rahman, 56, a farmer at Kamlabari village of Aditmari upazila, said he and his children spray pesticide in the vegetable fields without wearing PPE and mask.

"We feel some problems in our bodies after spraying pesticide, and we get treatment for it," he said.

"Despite knowing the health risk, we have to purchase pesticide sprayed vegetables from the market. It seems it is not possible to get chemical-free vegetables without growing it under our own supervision," said Sohel Rana, 55, a resident at Thana Road in Lalmonirhat town.

M Jaman Shahin, sub-assistant plant protection officer of Aditmari Upazila Agriculture Office, said, "Following our advice, some farmers have started using PPE and mask while spraying pesticides, but most of the farmers still ignore the important matter."

Dr Azmol Haque, resident medical officer in Lalmonirhat Sadar Hospital, said those who spray pesticides in their crop fields without wearing mask and PPE remain highly vulnerable to attack by different diseases, especially lung problems.

Bidubhuson Roy, deputy director of the Department of Agriculture Extension in Lalmonirhat, said agriculture officials regularly visit fields and provide suggestions to the farmers about the safe use of pesticide but many farmers do not follow it.

Stakeholders have urged conducting awareness campaigns among the farmers about safety measures and optimum use of pesticides in crops, especially vegetables.