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Kheti Virasat Report Kheti
Virasat is working in the field of ecology, conservation of natural
resources, organic agriculture & sustainable development. It’s
working groups focused on various issues and were engaged in
awareness generation, propagation as well as training of
eco-sustainable techniques. The Working Group on Agro-chemicals
& Health is active from last one year. The medical professionals
associated with this Working Group concern about adverse impacts of
pesticides. On 1st of September last year first workshop for medicos was organized at Patiala. The present workshop is second and in continuation of previous one. Present workshop is the first major workshop in which medical professionals from all over Punjab and resource personnel from outside Punjab were invited. About 47 medicos and 36 non- medicos were participated in the workshop. Eminent resource personnel like Dr. SK Mishra (ex Dean, Ayurved, Lucknow University), Dr. SG Kabra (advisor, SDM Hospital, Jaipur), Dr. VN Pandey (ex Director, Central Council for Research in Ayurved & Siddha), Dr. Ashutosh Halder (Assistant professor, Reproductive Biology, AIIMS), Dr. A.T. Dudani (agriculture microbiologist), Dr. Vijaya Kabra (University of Rajasthan, Jaipur), Dr. Ashesh Tayal (Scientific Advisor, Green Peace India), etc were actively participated in the workshop. Representatives of NGOs working on environment such as Center for Science & Environment, Toxics Link, Tata Energy Research Institute and Voluntary Health Association of Punjab were also present. Two
esteemed massages one from Ms.Sarojeni V. Rengam, Executive
Director, Pesticide Action Network- Asia Pacific, Panang, Malaysia
and other from the very person who initiated and raise the
Endosulfan issue Dr.Mohan Kumar Y.S., MBBS, Kumar Clinic, Village
& Post Vaninagar, district Kasargod, Kerala. Both massages
carries best wishes for the success of workshop. A
photo-exhibition on Endosulfan tragedy of Kasargod village depicting
the sorrow and apathy of pesticide -victims is also exhibited at the
workshop venue. This heart touching exhibition is developed by
THANAL the Thiruanantpuram based NGO which is struggling for this
cause. Thanal has gifted this exhibition to Kheti Virasat for
awareness campaign in Punjab. Inaugural
Session The workshop started with lighting of lamp in front of photos of Bhagwan Dhanvantri and Mahatma Gandhi by Shri Jai Singh Gill, Director General, CAPART .The inaugural session was chaired by Shri Ramesh Dutt, Minister of state for health & family welfare, Government of Punjab.Dr.D.B.Boralkar, Assistant Secretary, Central Pollution Control Board and Shri D.K.Dua, Member Secretary, Punjab Pollution Control Board were also present as special guests. Shri
Umendra Dutt, Director, Kheti Virasat presented the concept and
background of the workshop. In his address he gave a brief sketch of
evolution of organic farming movement by Kheti Virasat, in Punjab.
He told the audience about his experiences with farmers on health
implications of agro-chemicals. During these interactions, one
stunning fact that clearly emerged is that Punjab is sitting on time
bomb of pesticides. It is a matter of time before this bomb
explodes. Kheti Virasat came-across several incidences of various
diseases caused by pesticides. The incidence of occurrence of
cancer, kidney failure, asthma, deformities, still births, skin
problems and diseases of digestive track seems to have increased in
Punjab. Even one can notice the rapid increase in kidney clinics and
infertility clinics. The number of childless couples is also
increasing in Punjab. This scenario put a big question mark on so
called agricultural prosperity generated by green revolution. This
situation also raises a need to think over the present system of
agriculture in Punjab. Narrating all factors as one of the major
reasons that pushed Kheti Virasat to have an interaction with
medical professionals. He also pointed the out come of Endosulfan
spray in Padre village of Kasargod in Kerala, as Endosulfan is one
of the commonly used pesticides in Punjab and if it can cause a
massive destruction and devastation there then how can it be safe in
Punjab? So, to address the issue of health implications of
agro-chemicals in Punjab more seriously Kheti Virasat has taken this
initiative. After
this a short film on devastation caused by Endosulfan Ariel spry in
Kerala –In Gods Own Country,
produced by Elephant Corridor an ecological production houses was
screened. Film screening was followed by two special addresses by
Dr.D.B.Boralkar and Shri D.K.Dua. Dr.Boralkar, who came especially from Delhi to participate in this workshop, gave an introduction about government mechanism for pollution control, its evolution and government schemas about this issue. He praised Kheti Virasat for taking this matter at this pace. Shri Dua in his address narrated the environmental hazards created by present chemicalised and highly mechanized system of agriculture. He thanked Kheti Virasat for organizing this workshop. He also promised help to Kheti Virasat for propagating this movement. The
Chief guest Shri Jai Singh Gill identified himself with the novel
idea of creating awareness in this field. Though it is a burning
issue, proper attention is not being paid. He
opined that the workshop has been arranged at an appropriate time
and place. Because, Punjab is the highest consumer of pesticides so
the hazards susceptibility shall also be the highest. He offered all
possible help from the CAPART. The
Chairman of the session Dr Ramesh Dutt gave an overview of the
situation and appealed for a concerted effort in this direction. Working
Session - 1 In
the keynote address Dr.S.G.Kabra of IIHMR, Jaipur, presented
population census data of last ten decades of Rajasthan, to
demonstrate the low female sex ratio throughout the last century. In
a time trend analysis the various factors impacting in different
time periods, including female feticides since late eighties, were
elucidated. However, the basic point that he made was that for
assessing female fetal loss the sex ratio at birth is the right
parameter and not population figures for 0-6 age group. Dr.Kabra
presented sex ratio figures at live birth since 1976 in Rajasthan.
Through out the 25-year period there was always lesser number of
female children born in rural Rajasthan as compared to its
urban areas (average 788 females/1000 males as compared to 834
females in urban areas). This excessive loss of over 200 female
fetuses in the womb (before birth) in rural Rajasthan, constantly
since 1976, cannot be accounted for by alleged female feticide. The
embryo toxic and foetotoxic factors selectively against female
fetuses have been operative in rural Rajasthan in all this period.
The same was the case in Haryana and Punjab for which he advocated
that sex ratio at live birth in these states be looked into. He
then presented data of over 22000 live births in 24 hospitals of
Jaipur to reveal high rates of spontaneous abortions, stillbirths
and congenital anomalies. He stated that the same was the case in
Haryana and Punjab. He demonstrated that the gross congenital
anomalies detected and reported from the three states pertain to
neural tube defect, which is of brain and spinal cord that developed
in the first six weeks of pregnancy. Over 70% of the brainless children
born were females. The preponderance of females amongst the
brainless monsters is reported through out the world. By back
calculating the month of conception in these cases, Dr.Kabra
demonstrated two peaks in the months of March and November. The
environmental female foetotoxic insult was assigned to the folic
acid antagonist pesticide residues in the fresh crops that come
to the market in these two months. Folic acid deficiency is a
well-established cause of neural tube defects and amply illustrates
the sex selective embryo toxic effect of an environmental insult.
The pesticides and other chemical insults are well known causes of
spontaneous abortions and stillbirths that account for major cause
of fetal loss in the three states, asserted Dr.Kabra. He suggested
documentation of rates spontaneous abortions and stillbirths to
monitor adverse outcomes of pregnancy consequent to environmental
insults. Dr.Kabra presented data from the Lymphoma Leukemia Registry of his hospital to demonstrate rise in cancers of blood forming organs. According to him childhood blood cancer was on rise, evidencing gene toxic chemical and other environmental insults. He also revealed a high incidence of thyroid cancers in Rajasthan, over 70% of which are in females. Rapeseed oil and cauliflower, the two established causes of thyroid cancer, are widely cultivated and consumed in Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab. Chemicals and pesticides as endocrine and hormone disrupters, even selective male and female hormone disrupters are extensively reported. He drew attention to the large number of deaths that occur due to ingestion of alluminium phosphide in northern India. Contrary to the legal provisions, this fumigant pesticide is available in open market as a household pesticide. According to him more deaths occur every year due to alluminium phosphide then occurred in Bhopal disaster. Prof.S.K.Mishra retired Dean Ayurved, Lucknow University gave an overview of the pesticides stating from its history and development. The manufacture and proliferate in India in a short span starting from 1948/49 with DDT and HPC.He emphasized the callousness on the part of groups concerned which is delaying the pace of Integrated pest management of which India is a signatory. He suggested enthusiastic peoples movement for awareness. He gave an account its role in the causing cancer. He gave a list of antidotes also. Dr.
Ashutosh Halder of Department of Reproductive Biology, AIIMS,
Delhi, who is working on reproductive health, presented extensive
evidence from the reported studies to high light the embryo toxic,
foetotoxic, teratogenic, carcinogenic, endocrine disrupting
potential of various chemicals and pesticides. Pesticides and its
effect on human health like declining sex ratio (particularly with
paternal dioxin exposure) & semen quality as well as increasing
spontaneous abortion, birth defects, cancers, fibroid uterus,
endometriosis, polycystic ovarian disease, allergic disorders,
behavioral problem, etc along with strategy to deal with was
discussed in depth by Dr.Ashutosh Halder. Dr. Halder presently is
working on Reproductive Genetics. Dr. Halder has pointed that
pesticide residue of diet cannot be removed through washing or
peeling. Dr Halder also shared his own research work viz. high
prevalence of iniencephaly (a form of neural tube defect) at Lucknow
(published) and excess of female in chromosomally normal missed
abortions (under publication), which could be due to pesticides. Dr.
Halder also assessed benefit vs. risks and concluded that risk is
out-weighed, however, needs scientific documentation initially
through clinical epidemiological survey. In addition to pesticides,
Dr. Halder also pointed that human are exposing equally to other
toxic chemicals like plastics (associated with obesity, cancer,
infertility, etc), automobile fumes (causing cancer), radiation
(like from TV, computer, electric wire, sun, etc), drugs (many are
carcinogenic), etc which are causing additive effect, hence very
complex situation. Dr. Halder thinks that present scenario is very serious and need national as well as international interventions to control along with education & awareness to all individuals. Dr. Halder insisted that we should not allow any of those molecules to be sold before being shown safe. Finally, Dr. Halder calls for an urgent need for integrated system of pest management including that of alternative approach. Dr.V.N.Pandey,
Former Director, Central Council for Research in Ayurved &
Siddha chaired the session. Summarizing the proceedings of the
session Dr.V.N.Pandey stated virtually all living organism are now a
days exposed to significant quantities of hazardous chemicals whose
number stand between 50,000 to 100,000 and now in commercial use.
There is increase in new chemicals range from 200 to 1000.It has
been estimated that only 6% chemicals in present day commerce have
been laboratory tested for toxicity. Dr.Pandey termed the challenge
posed by pesticides and chemicals as ‘ Life threatening’ to
entire life system and stressed upon that initiatives like this
workshop should be encouraged whole-heartedly. A
documentary film –Killing
Fields was also screened in the session. Working
Session – 2 The
second working session comprised of a panel discussion chaired by
senior agriculture microbiologist Dr.A.T.Dudani.The panelist were
Dr.V.N.Pandey; Dr.Vijaya
Kabra from University of Rajsthan, Jaipur; Dr. Ashish Tayal of Green
Peace India and Dr.S.G.Kabra. Concluding
Session The
concluding session had discussion on strategies. Dr.S.G.Kabra
chaired the concluding session and Dr.S.K.Mishra, Dr.Ashutosh Halder
and Shri Umendra Dutt gave their concluding remarks.
The prime concerned that is emerged was that loss of
fertility due to the pesticides is a major issue of worry in States
of Green revolution particularly and especially in Punjab. A proper
network and action plan to create awareness in society is needed
very urgently. The Kheti Virasat must initiate follow-up action and
more groups should be brought together. Recommendations: Following were the recommendations made by workshop:
Future Plans
Massage My
dear friends, It
gives me a great pleasure in writing to you in this great moment. As
you all know Kasaragod district in Kerala has hit headlines recently
because of the endosulfan tragedy. Initially everybody dismissed it
as a false propaganda by environmentalists. But now after NHRC
(National Human Rights Commission) taking over the case and ICMR
(Indian Council of Medical Research) studying the issue, it has
become very clear. Everybody now appreciates our work. People from
different parts of world have taken interest in rehabilitation
programmes for the affected. There is a rethinking on the whole
issue of use of pesticides and chemicals in agriculture. Time has
come for doctors to actively involve in this campaign against deadly
pesticides. We can identify the maladies early and advise farmers
and villagers. As we all depend on food produced by the farmers, it
is our duty to educate them on the ill effects of pesticides. I
hope this workshop will be a turning point in this global campaign
against pesticides and chemicals. We have no business to poison our
mother earth. To get a few extra money we are endangering our own
children. By eliminating these poisons we can save our next
generation. On
behalf of people of Kasaragod I wish all the success for this
programme. Long live Punjab and India. Dr.Mohana
Kumar. Y.S. Massage Warm greetings from the Pesticide Action Network Asia and the Pacific to all the participants of this workshop organised by Kheti Virasat. The workshop that has been organised is of utmost urgency and importance since impact of pesticides on human health and the environment has not only been devastating but it is also a problem that is widespread. And all of us carry the body burden of pesticide contamination. Daily 68,000 farmers and workers are poisoned mainly in the Third World and this is both unacceptable and unconscionable. Overall it is estimated that 25 million workers suffer pesticide poisoning annually. Besides acute effects, the chronic effects of pesticides are particularly alarming when new studies link certain pesticides to cancer, lowered fertility, endocrine disruption and to suppression of immune systems. Synthetic chemicals including pesticide are suspected of mimicking natural hormones, upsetting normal reproductive and developmental process including reduction in male sperm counts as much as 50 percent and dramatic rise in hormone-related cancers in women. These chemicals may be invisibly undermining the human future. Some of the chemicals include widely used pesticides such as alachlor, Malathion, maneb, methomyl, heptachlor, DDT, benomyl and endosulfan and even the pyrethroids are implicated. Other reports indicate "substantial grounds for concern about the public health risks from pesticide induced suppression of the immune system". New studies have also linked pesticides with increased aggression and mental capacity and with parkinson’s disease. All these result in functional changes that affect future performance, whether it is physiological, reproductive, and neural through the neural and endocrine effects. Because of these concerns, we in PAN are working towards the reduction with the long-term aim of eliminating pesticide poisonings. Towards that aim we are contributing towards more ecological solutions to feeding the world including advancing integrated pest management and ecological agriculture. We have also initiated community health monitoring, participatory action research and local surveys to document the real situation of pesticides and its impact on farmers and agricultural workers. The documentation has initiated further strategies for action in which groups are working towards empowering women, farmers and workers to address and campaign against hazardous pesticides, to reduce their exposure to these hazards and to promote non-chemical alternatives to pesticides. We hope that your deliberations and discussions will lead to strong actions against pesticide hazards. The strength of strategies, of networks and of working together to eliminate pesticides use comes from the diversity of strengths, skills, experience and knowledge. Your skills and experience in health issues and impact on health of these hazards would clearly add tremendously to the struggles against pesticide poisoning. I wish you all success for the endeavour and look forward to hearing more about the outcome of your deliberations and discussions. Sarojeni
V. Rengam Annexure Papers
presented at Workshop Keynote
address Paper
– 1 Birth
Of Brainless Babies: Bane Of North Indian Mothers S.G.KABRA India
is a country of paradoxes. We spend millions distributing folic
acid- iron tablets to pregnant women in the country, yet for the
deficiency of the very same folic acid, children in the womb of
these mothers suffer from gross brain damage, so much so that the
brain may totally fail to develop. Anencephaly, or born without a
brain (brainlessness), is the result. On the basis of a study
conducted by the author, 8000 such children are estimated to be born
in Rajasthan alone. The
brain of a child develops from a neural tube in the first 4 - 6
weeks of pregnancy. Deficiency of folic acid at the time of
conception and weeks immediately succeeding it, results in defects
of parts that develop from the neural tube - brain being the main
part. By the time existence of pregnancy is recognized (even by
mother herself) and confirmed, and folic acid -iron supplementation
is given, it is too late for the brain; the damage is already done -
hence the paradox A
survey of the labor room records of 24 maternity centers of Jaipur
in 1992 by the author and his colleague, had revealed 137 grossly
visible and mostly fatal birth defects for the 22,618 live births
that took place at these centers ( 6 congenital malformations per
1000 live births). Of the gross defects recorded in the labor room register, 81%
were neural tube defects - 55 % brainless and 26% with other defects
of neural tube. A
similar study by A.J.Babineau, a Master of Public Health student
from USA at IIHMR,Jaipur, for February 27,1996 to February 26,1998
updated and independently confirmed the authors findings. This is
what she observed in
her report: “
The incidence of NTDs ( neural tube defects) in Rajasthan is more
than ten times the rate of developed nations and even double the
rate of other states of India. As many as 8, 000 babies suffer, and
most of these die, as a result of Neural Tube Defects in Rajasthan
each year. Finally, there is convincing evidence that with
proper nutrition and education, most of these disabilities and
deaths can be prevented, Therefore, Neural Tube Defects constitute
an immediate public health threat in Rajasthan, and it is crucial to
take immediate action to uncover the reasons for Rajasthan’s
dismal situation, and to develop an effective plan to reduce the
incidence of Neural Tube Defects in the state.” High
NTD rates have been reported from Punjab, Haryana and other Northern
states. Pesticides are known antagonists of folic acid. High pesticide residues have been reported in the grains etc. in the country. In our study, when we back calculated the month of conception in the neural tube defect babies, we found two peaks of 11 NTDs per 1000 conceptions in the peak two months; the two peaks coincided with the months of the year in which new crops, Rabi and Kharif, come to the market. Whatever
be the cause of deficiency, for periconceptional availability of
folic acid, a delivery strategy of universal supplementation
of folic acid, as is being used for iodine, has to be evolved. This
has been done in many countries with exemplary results; in most
developed nations the incidence of Neural Tube Defects has
dramatically fallen in recent years to as low as 0.35 NTDs per 1000
births. Folic
acid is a very cheap, stable and
safe vitamin. Considering the social cost of medical
management of over 30 % of NTDs that come for repairs, ( 10 % of all
congenital defects that come for repairs are NTDs), a preventive
strategy of universal supplementation of folic acid would be much
cheaper and cost effective, even in India. S.G.Kabra Paper
- 2 High
Female Fetal Loss In Rajasthan INTRODUCTION The
sex ratio in Rajasthan has always been unfavorable to women as per
the census figures 1901 to 2001. The responsible factors have been
operating all along to keep the female ratio low in the province and
in the country. The sex ratio of a population is the product of
interaction of multiple factors; (i) factors operating before
conception effect x-bearing or y-bearing sperm or an ovum, during
spermatogenesis or oogenesis, and also during fertilization process;
(ii) post-conception, during pregnancy, several other factors may
selectively effect the fetuses of a particular sex; and of course,
(iii) post-birth there are factors that operate as gender specific
life risks. The factors are time, location and population specific.
Elucidation of such factors, therefore, requires a time trend
analysis for an extended period. Present study is an attempt in this
direction. Sex Ratio In Population The
census The
sex ratio in Rajasthan population, as per census 1901 to 2001, is
presented as number of females per 1000 males in Fig. 1 From
the census figures it may be seen that the sex ratio of females per
1000 males has always been low in Rajasthan where it has fluctuated
between 905 in 1901 to 922 per thousand males in 2001. That
except for 1921, when the female sex ratio in Rajasthan dipped to
896 i.e. 10 points below the 1901 figure of 905, it has gained, with
low amplitude fluctuations, 17 points over the century, to reach 922
in 2001. That
this is in contrast to sex ratio of India, which has registered a
sustained fall from 972 in 1901 to 932 in 2001 with very low
amplitude fluctuation over the century. That,
though the female sex ratio in Rajasthan has always been lower than
the ratio for India, from a difference of 67 points in 1901 (India
972, Rajasthan 905) it has narrowed down to just 10 points (India
932, Rajasthan 922) in 2001. As a matter of fact now the rural
Rajasthan equals Indian average having narrowed the gap of 74 points
in 1901 (India 972, rural Rajasthan 898 females per 1000 males) to
zero in 2001. That
the female sex ratio in rural population of Rajasthan (4.3 crore in
2001) has registered a sustained trend towards improvement over the
century, crossing above the state average in 1961 and remaining
above it since than. That
the female sex ratio in urban population of Rajasthan (1.3 crore in
2001) fell sharply from 947 in 1901 to 897 in 1921 sustaining a loss
of 50 points. Remaining approximately at the same level for next 2
decades, the female ratio rose sharply to 958 (gain of 61 points) in
1961. Conversely the decade registered a very sharp fall of males in
the urban population. More dramatic is the fall in the urban female
ratio in the next decade (1951-1961) to 882 (a loss of 76 points).
The urban Rajasthan has virtually never re-covered from the two
great falls of 1921 and 1961. The
multitudes of factors influencing sex ratio of entire population are
social, economic, political, environmental and medical. The
determinants include postnatal and life long gender specific life
risk and vulnerability, which are country, population and time
specific. In the time trend analysis to ascertain causes for low
female sex ratio in the country, and more so in Rajasthan, it has to
be borne in mind that the basic causes have been present all through
the century; it is only the causes aggravating or improving the
female sex ratio that need further elucidation. Partition
and population migration of 1947, adoption of family planning as
state policy in 1953, legalisation of abortion-on- demand (MTP Act)
in 1972, emergency and forced sterilizations in 1975 -77,
introduction of prenatal sex determination technologies, especially
the sonography, in 1980s, are some of the direct impacting
relatively proximate factors that have not been adequately analyzed
apropos the falling female ratio. Certainly, to analyze the
aforesaid changes in the sex ratio of the population of Rajasthan
over the century, one has to look beyond sex selected female
feticide, a phenomenon in operation since 1980 only. How much has it
contributed to the already operating causes of low female ratio in
the population? To
asses the impact of female feticide, more appropriate indicator
should be the sex ratio at birth in the rural and urban population
of Rajasthan, figures for which are available for the last quarter
of century. Sex ratio at birth reflects the prenatal factors that
influence it. SEX
RATIO AT BIRTH The
sex ratio for live births registered as per Birth and Registration
in Rajasthan is presented in Table 1 & Fig.2. The
figures reveal that from approximately 1 lakh births registered in
rural areas of Rajasthan in 1974 the number of births registered has
risen to about 3 lakh in 2000. The female sex ratio at live births
in rural Rajasthan that has always been less than 800 from 1976 to
1997 (except for 1981 when it was 817, registering a dramatic fall
in the birth of live male children in the year), the sex ratio of
females at birth has risen above 800 since 1998, with all time high
of 825 in 1999. The
fall in the number of births registered in the rural areas of
Rajasthan from 1977 to 1983 follow the proximate consequence of
forced mass sterilization in the province. In urban areas of Rajasthan the number of live births registered has risen from about 60 thousand in 1974 to over 3 lakh in 2000. The sex ratio at live birth of females that had been above 850 from 1976 to 1999 (except in 1982 and 1987) fell below 850 level since 1990 with a dramatic fall to 778 females per 1000 males in 1993. It
is interesting to note that female sex ratio at birth in rural
Rajasthan has always been lower by 30-100 points than that of urban
Rajasthan, except in 1993 and 1999. The
female sex ratio at birth for whole of Rajasthan, has remained,
through out the period under study, in the vicinity of base line 811
of 1976, with low amplitude fluctuations, except in 1993 when it
touched down to 781. A
perusal of the trend analysis graph of sex wise live births in
Rajasthan from 1978 to 2000 reveals some interesting findings. Fig.2. The
fluctuations in the female sex ratio at birth over the years
manifest as humps and troughs run parallel in the rural and the
urban areas for 19 of the 25 years. In the internal migration of
males from rural to urban areas the expected relationship is
inverse. Interestingly, the urban/rural relationship in sex ratio at
birth is inverse in the years 1991 to 1993 and 1998 to 2000.
However, the fall in female sex ratio at birth in urban areas
registered a much steeper fall during 1991-1993 compared to the
corresponding rise in the rural sex ratio at birth. The
possible medical factors impacting during the aforesaid period under
study were: mass forced vasectomies in 1975-76, aggressive family
planning interventions after 1981 census, sex selection technologies
in mid 80s, and yet to be elucidated factors in 1990s. SEX
RATIO AT BIRTH For
the impact study of modern reproductive technologies on sex ratio at
birth, long-term data of a modern city hospital would be of interest
and relevance. The client population of such a hospital has had easy
access and availability of the modern reproductive technologies that
impact on the sex ratio at birth. The Santokba Durlabhji Memorial
Hospital is a 300 bed fee-for-service, multidisciplinary, private
hospital located in the center of the Jaipur. The
female sex proportion at birth of the live born infants is presented
in Table 2 and its aggregate analysis in Table 3. The
period under study is 1972, when this hospital started, to 2001, a
period of 30 years. Till
2001, of a total of 23,933 infants born live at the hospital, 53.1%
were males and 46.9% females. The
proportion of live born females that was 53.3% in 1972 has steadily
fallen to 45.6% in 2001 with low amplitude fluctuations below the
base line figure of 1972. It
is interesting to note that in the initial period of 1970s, the sex
proportion was favoring female births. It was 46.7% males to 53.3%
females in 1972; the female proportion remained The
sex proportion reversed in 1981-90 decade to favor male births; the
aggregate proportion amongst the 7338 live born being 51.3% to 48.7%
females. The
trend disfavoring female births continued through the next decade
1991-2000; the aggregate proportion for the decade being 55.5% males
to 44.5% females amongst the 10,809 infants born live at the
hospital during the period. In
the year 2001 the proportion is 54.4% males to 45.6% females amongst
the 1343 infants born live in the year. It
may be noted that it was during the initial period (1972 to 1980)
when abortion on demand was made available to public by the MTP Act
in 1972. It
may also be seen that reversal trend in sex proportion at birth
disfavoring females had already started much before the sex
selection technology became available to the public in 1980s. The
falling trend in the female sex proportion at birth continues in the
decade ending 2000. Seasonal Variation In Sex Ratio At Birth The
month wise live birth data of the hospital reveal interesting
seasonal variations. It
may be seen that the highest number of births in the 30 years
aggregate of 23,933 births take place in the month of August. This
holds good for the decadal aggregates of 70s (9 yrs only), 80s, 90s
and for the year 2001. The
month of June favors birth of male children, which records highest
proportion of male births in the 3-decade aggregate, as well as, in
each decade separately. Conversely, the month of June maximally
disfavors female births. The
month of September appears to favor female births, the female
proportion being highest in this month in the 3 decade aggregate;
this holds good for 70s and 80s decades but not for 90s and the year
2001. Perhaps,
to analyze the possible adverse impact of a particular season on the
conceptus, the month of conception should be back calculated and
analyzed from the month of birth recorded. Medical
Termination Of Pregnancy It
is alleged that the provisions of MTP Act are being used for
sex-selected female ‘feticide’. The right to terminate pregnancy
is available till 20th week of pregnancy under the MTP Act. This
legally enables a woman to intrauterine sex selection of the fetus
after the sex of the fetus is determined around or after 15th week
of pregnancy. The latter would be reflected in the second trimester
abortions under the MTP. The
figures for MTPs done before 12 weeks and between 12 to 20th week
are presented for Rajasthan and India in Tables 4 & 5. It
may be seen that over 80% of the MTPs in Rajasthan and over 70% in
India have been undertaken before the 12th week of pregnancy from
1976 to 1997 for which trimester wise break up data is available. Only
20% to 30% of MTPs have been taking place for pregnancies of 12-20
weeks duration. The increasing trend of sex-selected abortions, if
present, would be reflected in second trimester abortions. The
database presented covers over 96 lakh MTPs, spanning periods before
and after the sex determinations technologies were available to the
public. There is no evidence that the proportion of second trimester
abortions is increasing over the years; also, the proportion shows
no change before the availability of sex determination technology
and after it. Determinants
Of Sex Ratio At Birth In
“Determinants of the sex ratio at birth: review of recent
literature’, in Social Biology (1988;35: 214-35), Chahnazarian
reviewed the various factors that influence sex ratio at birth. The
fact that more boys are born than girls (104-107 boys for every 100
girls) has been known since 1662.According to Chahnazarian the
factors determining the sex ratio at birth rate are of 2 kinds: 1.factors
determining the primary sex ratio, i.e., sex ratio at conception,
and 2.factors
determining the survival of the embryo in utero. 1.The
factors determining the primary sex ratio i.e. sex ratio at
conception are: a.
Y-bearing and X-bearing sperm may have different motility or
different survival time. b.
The age of the ovum at fertilization. c.
The chemical balance of the female genital tract. d.
High levels of circulating gonadotrophins may imply a lower sex
ratio at birth as well as a higher rate of dizygotic twinning. e.
The male conception also appears to be higher in early and late in
the menstrual cycle. f.
The fact that women exposed to higher coital rates conceive earlier
in the menstrual cycle may account for the
greater number of boys born during wars. 2.The
factors determining the survival of the embryo in utero. a.
Prenatal male
mortality is reportedly highest between gestational months 3-5,
lower between months 6-8, and higher again at term. b.
Also, immunological interaction between mother and embryo may
account for some sex selective spontaneous abortions. c.
3 sociodemographic determinants of sex ratio at birth are thought to
be (1) maternal age, (2) paternal age, and (3) birth order. d.
Higher prenatal male mortality may be correlated with socioeconomic
conditions, since higher socioeconomic status lowers prenatal
mortality in general. The effects of parental age, birth order, and
parity are less clear. e.
Race is also a factor, since the sex ratio at birth for blacks is
lower (102-104) than for whites (106). f.
14
univariate and 19 multivariate studies of effects of maternal age,
paternal age, parity, birth order, race, and socioeconomic status on
sex ratio at birth, with sample sizes in the millions from various
countries have been analyzed. More boys are born to younger parents,
and lower order births have a higher proportion of males than do
higher order births. In the multivariate analyses, when the effects
of paternal and and birth order are controlled for, the effect of
maternal age weakens, and the effect of paternal age appears to be
stronger. The effect of birth order remains but is very small, and
the effect of race persists independent of any effect of other
variables. Maternal age, parity, and birth order are positively
correlated with proportion of male stillbirths. The results of the
multivariate analyses show all of the effects to be very small, but
that maternal age has no effect on sex ratio at birth; paternal age
and birth order have a negative effect, and the racial effect
persists independent of any other effect. The racial effect is
clearly biologically determined at conception because blacks have
higher levels of circulating gonadotropin and therefore a higher
probability of conceiving girls. Parents in higher socioeconomic
classes are more likely to have sons, but the effect is largely due
to the excess male mortality during most of the gestational period. CONCLUSION Changing
sex ratio at birth has been a focus of recent research
investigations through out the world and large number of published
reports is available elucidating the factors that influence sex
ratio at birth. The Epidemiologic Study of Birth Defects and
Pesticides by T.Nurminen ( Epidemiology 2001; 12:145) and
Paternal Concentrtion of Dioxin and Sex Ratio of Offspring by P.
Mocarelli et al (Lancet 200; 355:1858) are two such recent
articles documenting the havoc that the pesticides and environmental
pollutant are playing on the life in the womb. A whole lot of
‘reproductive toxicants’, ‘endocrine disrupters’, ‘hormone
disrupters’, ‘feto-toxins’ etc. in food chain and environment
have been documented. The dismal situation in this context in India
warrants urgent attention of those concerned with reproductive and
child health in the country. The gap between the male and the female
sex ratio at birth is wide and has been present since long. There is
need to look beyond the proximate ‘female feticide’ presumption.
The conspiracy of silence on the real causes of female fetal loss
must end. Paper
- 3 The
Use of Pesticides and its Current Status in India Synthetic Pesticides are of recent origin in our country though it has been used since times immemorial but sparingly. The Chemical pesticides of the Current Varieties have started being used in our country relatively recently. HISTORICAL
CONSIDERATIONS Papyrus
(1500 B.C.) mentions some lists of processes for insect control.
During 900 AD Chinese used Arsenic for garden insects. As regards
the synthetic chemical pesticides in our country first of all its
started during 1948/49 when D.D.T. for malaria control and
B.H.C. for locust control was introduced. Soon after this there use
in agriculture also started. Organo-chlorine (Chlordane, Heptachlor,
Dieldrin, Aldine, Endrine) followed synthetic chemical otherwise
also have a history of around 150 years in the world. After oregano
chlorine organophoporus insecticides (Malathion, Digenon and
Phorates) were introduced Carbamate followed soon after. Pesticides
production in India started in 1954, when W.H.O. gifted a D.D.T.
manufacturing producing 5000 metric tones of pesticides, which rose
to 96,500 metric tones by mid 90’s. In
mid 80s large-scale use of Synthetic Pyrethroids started. Currently
India is the second largest manufacturer of Pesticides in ASIA. It
stands 12th Globally in the arena of Pesticide production. USE
OF PESCIDES IN INDIA As
per the statistics of 2000-01 India used 75,417.70 metric tones of
Pesticides annually for agricultural purposes. In
spite of this crop losses are 10-30% monetarily these losses amount
to 290,000 millions per year. In
mid 70s U.S.A. banned the use of D.D.T. Europe also banned it around
the some time. India has banned as late as 1989. Indiscriminate
use of Pesticides has resulted its entry into the food chain. Some
other insecticides have also been banned by India either due to the
resistance of organisms to than or under the international pressure
for their environment polluting effect. Though
India adopted the control programme in 1990, till date the
integrated pest management has not picked up any momentum. Around
147 insecticides are registered a regular basis under section 9(3)
of the Insecticides Act 1968 in India. CONSUMPTION PATTERN OF PESTICIDES IN INDIA Out
of all pesticides 75% are used as insecticides, 10% as fungicides,
7% as herbicides and others 8%. Out of these chemically 40% are
organochlorines, 30% organo phosphosphorus, 15% Carbamates, 10%
Synthetic pyrethroids and 5% others. PESTICIDES
IN FOOD COMMODITIES In
our country one hundred and twenty five million hectares of the
cultivated land. Were under pesticides cover by the year 2000. This
has been increasing at the rate of 2.5% per year. The quantum of use
is 0.75 kg / hectare which is quite low as compared to U.S.A.,
Europe Japan and such other countries (where it is 2-3 kg/hectare)
Despite the low use wide spread contaminated food commodities has
been noticed because of indiscriminate use. ICMR
conducted a survey in 1990s which indicated 517 of our food
commodities to be contaminated with pesticides residue and out of
this 20% had the level above the minimum residue limit (MRL). Another
later survey by All India Coordinated research projects, it was
indicated that all the food commodities contained pesticides, though
a decline in the trend presently indicates improved agricultural
practices: It
could be suggested in this regard that :
HEALTH
EFFECTS OF PESTICIDES : It is obvious and well known that extensive use of pesticides have caused pollution of Air, Water, and Food. If we shortlist the main groups of pesticides which are of concern, they are :
Agent
orange (a mixture of 2,4D and 2,4,5-T) was extensively used as
defoliant in the Vietnam War by the Americans in 60’s. The people
who were exposed to this are still suffering from its effects.
Mothers have either still births or give birth to babies who are
spastic or into do not have limits. Its effect on the embryological
developing of the neural tape is well known. In
India out 147, registered insecticides only 50 have been evaluated
for their tolerance limits. It shows our indifference and
callousness of us towards its hazards: The
following in urgently required —
A multidisciplinary integrated approach involving Toxicology,
Epidemiology, physiology and behavioural sciences to appreciate the
hazards and plan the preventive strategies. There
have been several reports of cases due to the poisoning of
pesticides (Raizada and Dikshit, 1992, Laha N.N. et-al 1988, Dashara
and Swaroop 1986, Dagli A.J. et-al.) Association of physicians of
India journal if reviewed every now and then some reports of such
cases will be found. Even though the daily diet small quantities of
Pesticides reach the general population is exposed to its danger.
Kerala had the first incidence of suicide in 110 cases by pesticides
in 1950. Later on Bengal, Karnataka, Andhra, Bihar, Tamilnadu,
Punjab, Haryana, Himachal, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh all have their
own scores in this area. The data usually do not give complete
picture, as all the cases are not reported. The
residue levels of chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticides were found
highest in the samples of human fat from Gujarat. The data for its
presence are available only in few cases. All states do not furnish
the data. Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and Tamilnadu shared
90-100% contamination of vegetables. The
Chlorinated hydrocarbons present in blood samples (DDT, HCH, Aldrin,
Dieldrin) is sparse in India. (Nair et-al 1996, Dureja and Pillai
1992, Kaphalia and Seth 1983, Balasubramanian and Rajulu 1978). Antidotes
for the poisoning of pesticides There
is usually a mention of such antidotes at the packing. Sometimes it
is written in so small letters that it is not clearly identifiable.
A list is being given.
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