70 percent of the country’s population is suffering from terrible diseases due to toxic food
Due to the consumption of poisonous food by the housewives of the families in the kitchens of the families across the country, 70 percent of the population of more than 140 crore people of the country has come under the grip of various terrible diseases. The rate of disease incidence among Punjabis is 50 percent higher than that of other states of the country. The latest example of this is the long queues of patients of diabetes, cancer and heart diseases, liver failure and intestinal diseases in the government and private hospitals of the state and the number of patients registered in the record registers for the hospital OPD.
The reason for the terrible diseases among the people of Punjab is the excessive use of pesticides and urea etc. in crops and vegetables for farming in Punjab, and the poison produced from agricultural products is rapidly mixing in our blood. The remaining damage has been done by the greedy traders of the country for profiteering by the large-scale adulteration of spices, pulses and mineral oils, desi ghee, paneer and milk used in our kitchens. It has come to light from media reports that 60 percent of the soil samples of Ludhiana, Mansa and Bathinda districts have been found to contain large amounts of toxic chemicals like Endostan and Carbofuran and pesticide residues.
In Punjab, to increase the yield of crops, more than 77 kg of pesticides per hectare are being used on wheat and paddy crops on 85 percent of the land of Punjab, which is much higher than the national level. It is estimated that about 50 kg of pesticides are being used in other states of the country. These results can prove disastrous for the future generations of the country. The terrible consequences of which have already started to be seen. The ability of our newly married couples to have children is decreasing day by day.
According to the latest data, 20 percent of couples are having their children through IVF technology. Which is posing a big threat to our species after our crops. There is a business of about 35 thousand crores in the indiscriminate use of fertilizers and pesticides in the country, in which Punjab is the leader.
According to the latest data, the state has a business of 30362 crores from 2021 to 2022, 33205 crores from 2022 to 2023 and about 35000 crores in the current year 2023 to 2024. On the other hand, there is a need to tighten the noose on the profiteers who are playing with the health of the people through adulteration.
What do agricultural experts say
Dr. Amrit Sagar Mittal (Vice Chairman Sonalika) says that 60 percent of soil samples from the fields of Bathinda, Mansa and Ludhiana have been found to contain residues of toxic chemical pesticides like endosulfan and carbofuran. This danger is like a time bomb warning that is not only poisoning our crops but also indicates a danger for future generations. He says that the increasing consumption of chemical pesticides in Punjab, which is dependent on paddy and wheat cultivation in more than 85 percent of its area, is worrying. The national level consumption of pesticides is 62 kg per hectare, while a small state like Punjab, which consumes 77 kg of pesticides per hectare, is third in the country after big states like U. P. and Maharashtra. The results of this madness are disastrous. Our fertile land is becoming barren. Microorganisms that maintain natural fertility in the soil have been destroyed by 30 to 50 percent due to excessive use of chemical pesticides. This has a direct impact on the quality of the soil and the nutritional capacity of the crops. He says that as per the instructions of the International Code of Conduct on Pesticide Management, governments and manufacturing companies should provide proper training and information to farmers, but there is a need to be strict in following these instructions.
The poison dissolved in our food and blood with chemical pesticides can wreak havoc for our future generations. The only way to ensure safe and sustainable agriculture is to establish a farmer-centric legal framework as per international standards.
Dr. SP S Brar, retired director of Punjab Agriculture Extension and Training Institute, says that the problem lies in our drinking water which has been polluted by urban sewers and industry. Today, uranium was found in 29 percent of the groundwater samples in Punjab at more than 30 ppb, which is a heavy metal. It is harmful to health. The problem lies in our use of antibiotics. Their quality is never checked. The problem lies in our processed food, which contains chemicals to preserve it for a long time. To divert attention from these, all the blame is being placed on the farmers.
