Haryana Horticulture Department will set up two Quality Control labs at Gharaunda of Karnal district and the other at Sirsa at a cost of Rs 2 crore each to analyse pesticide residues in fruits. Dr AS Saini, director horticulture, said that these two labs will be established to minimise the use of pesticide in Haryana by adopting good agricultural practices by ensuring environmental, economic and social sustainability.
Recent studies show that the vegetables and fruits which are being consumed by the people are also contaminated with the pesticides. The consumption of fruits and vegetables having high pesticide residue can cause adverse effect on the nervous system and also cause several hazardous diseases like cancer, liver, kidney and other problems.
The banned pesticides like Chlordane can cause anemia, leukemia and even cancer in infants, Eldrin (results in headache, dizziness, nausea or vomiting), Heprachlor (leads to liver damage, decreased fertility) and Ethyl/Parathion (associated with abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea) were found in vegetables.
Recent tests conducted on vegetables revealed that Captan a toxic pesticides, found up to 15,000 parts per billion (ppb) in ladyfinger in India whereas that in the EU has only up to 20 ppb. Indian cauliflower can have Malathion pesticides of 3000 ppb as against 20 ppb in EU; Tomato can have DDT pesticide of 3500 ppb as against 50 ppb in EU; Potato can have parathion methyl pesticide of 1000 ppb as against 20 ppb in EU and Spinach can have Endosulfan of 2000 ppb as against 50 ppb in EU .