Wednesday, October 26 2005 15:17 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bhatinda: If you thought pre-natal sex detection and preference for male child is the only reason for declining sex ratio in Punjab, think again.

Is non-judicious use of pesticide in crops a reason for gap in sex ratio too? Yes, according to an expert study done by Ashutosh Haldar Professor, Incharge of the department of Reproductive Biology in AIIMS, Delhi, along with Kheti Virasat mission during their campaign for wise use of pesticides in Punjab.

And not only sex ratio. Indiscriminate use of pesticide has also disturbed the reproductive cycle of both males and females in Punjab, said the study adding "cancer is only a mole, pesticide hill is yet to be properly discovered."

This is not all. Greying of hair at an early age, premature aging in inhabitants, late menarache among girls and late secondary sexual character in boys and many other sexual weaknesses in males have been caused by excessive use of pesticides in crops areas surrounding Bathinda in Punjab.

Kheti Virasat with its own efforts is trying to start a epidemiological study in coming months in the cotton belt of Punjab and try to know the seriousness of various problems facing the villages of this cotton belt, adds its joint director Surinder Singh. According to Haldar, the effects of non-judicious use pesticides have been devastating in Talwandi Sabo block where cancer had spread on a wide scale.

During its campaign on safe and wise use of pesticides in Bathinda district and adjoining area, with collaboration of Punjab Pollution Control Board mainly in villages highly affected by indiscriminate use of pesticides, it was found that not only cancer but many other diseases are prevalent there.

Haldar noticed many other problems related with reproductive system of human being. The most striking and noticeable problems are greying of hair at an young age, premature aging in the inhabitants, late menarche among girls and late secondary sexual character in boys.

As per a preliminary survey done by Kheti Virasat team with Haldar in the villages like Jajjal and Kharg Singh Wala in Bathinda district, Rai-ke-Kalan in Mukatsar district and Bargadi in Faridkot district, in Jajjal alone 12 children of age group 10-20 were found with their 70 per cent hair grey.

Trend of more number of male than female per thousands has been found through pedigree analysis of many families in these villages.

There may be some other causes operating behind it along with pesticides, Singh said adding it is the need of hour to find the depth of these cause and bring forth the truth.

Suicidal deaths due to agri-indebtness are far less than the deaths caused by the cancer disease in this area. So much is the disease's hold that a train to Bikaner is often referred to as 'cancer train' which is rushed with cancer patients mostly, added Singh.