ALARM AGAINST
PESTICIDE HAZARDS!
Thousands of Sparrows massacred by
pesticide in one village in Bangladesh
[ More Bird
Deaths ] * [ 27,000 Birds Die ] * [ Seagulls
Die ]
[ Pesticides
found in Dead Birds ] * [ Pesticide kills
Pelicans ]
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From: "Farhad Mazhar" <ubinig@citechco.net>
To: "Steve Tvedten" <steve@getipm.com>
Sent: Saturday, June 23, 2001 11:48 AM
Subject: Re: Pesticides killed the birds, More from Bangladesh
Dear Mr. Tveden, After reading the article on Pesticides
killed birds, I am enclosing one from Bangladesh.
ALARM AGAINST PESTICIDE HAZARDS! Thousands of Sparrows
massacred by pesticide in one village in Bangladesh
The day was 31st August, 1999. In the village Dakatia of
Jessore, a district on the western border areas in Bangladesh, people watched
the mass death of sparrows in the vegetable fields. A preliminary estimate of
the villagers say that bodies of about 5,000 sparrows could be counted. There
were more. In the early morning, a farmer named Kabirul first saw that in the
eggplant field, several hundreds of sparrows were lying in a restless condition,
flickering wings with no strength. It was a painful process of death that
brought tears in the eyes of Kabirul. He also found many dead little poor
sparrows spread like cold sponge balls in the field. Those who were still alive
were bleeding; bloodstains could be spotted on their beads. According to Kabirul,
he could smell pesticide in the bodies of the little slowly decaying birds. He
brought home those who were still alive to offer some care. But nothing could be
done. These half-dead birds died in front of these farmers.
Same thing was happening in all other nearby fields. Women
came to report about the death of more sparrows in their homestead. They were
all crying. They said we have seen the death of human beings but they could not
tolerate seeing the death of these beautiful, harmless little birds. They make
our mornings, part of life. Women say, it's like part of your heart is dead.
Dakatia village is very welknown for the varieties of trees
it has for ages. So there are many birds, especially sparrows. Sparrows are
supposed to bring luck to the farming households. The have very important
cultural place in the lives of the people. Sparrows are part of the farming
operations, an ecological indicator that environment is all right, and they play
extremely important role in pest management by feeding on the problem insects.
The village
Dakatia is 7 km on the northern side of Jessore town. Here trees like mango,
jackfruit, lichi etc. are found abundantly. These trees are the shelters of the
small birds. Sparrows are part of the natural beauty. They live on the trees and
eat the insects and bugs from fields. About 4000 people live in this village,
out of which 80% are engaged in farming activities. The land is not very
suitable for rice cultivation, but vegetable production is quite significant.
Over 90% of the cultivable land is used for vegetable production, such as egg
plant, pointed gourd, bean, pumpkin, radish, carrot, okra, and cauliflower,
cabbage etc. Due to promotion of the pesticide companies, the farmers in the
village are using all kinds of pesticides ranging from the brand names such as
Marshal, Sumithion, Thiovit, Furadan, Ripcord, Kap, Sumibus, Sevin Dust, Santap.
Besides, since the village is on the border to India, there are many smuggled
pesticides, especially those, which are not sold in the Indian market. Among the
Indian pesticides Ustad, Thidrin, Methodrin are very hazardous. These are widely
found in the village. It is learnt that the fields where the sparrows were
killed, the Indian pesticide Ustad were applied. The field was sprayed with
Ustad in the eggplant and pointed gourd field the night before. The sparrows ate
the dead insects and they died.
The pesticides, which are reported used, are in the
categories of having hazardous effect according to WHO list. For example,
Furadan (Carbofuran pesticide) is in the category of highly hazardous.
Moderately hazardous pesticides are Marshal 6G & 20EC
(Carbosulfan), Suntap 50SP (Cartap), Ripcord 10EC (Cypermethrin),
Sumithion (Fenitrothion), KAP 50EC (Phenthoate), Sevin 10% Dust (Carbaryl),
Ustad 10EC (Cypermethrin), Sumibus 75EC (Fenitrothion + BPMCS)
and Thiovit 80WP ( sulfur) in the category of UPAH (Unlikely to present
acute hazard). Most of them are categorised as moderately hazardous. In
addition, the excessive applications of these pesticides create further threat
to the safety of the human and animal health.
People were terribly shocked at this incident. Everybody is
aware that this is a pesticide massacre. They are alarmed. They would not let
the chicken, goats and cows to come near these fields. The local officers of the
Plant Protection wing of Agricultural Extension Department visited the place.
The local dealers and Pesticide Company also visited. But unfortunately none of
them advised the farmers to stop spraying the pesticide until further
instruction. However, the villagers are deeply shocked and angry. They demand
that pesticides should be stopped.
There is much protest against this killing incident of the
sparrows. The Nayakrishi Andolon, - the New Agricultural Movement of farmers for
ecological agriculture, has demand an investigation into the incident and that
those who are responsible for selling and misleading the farmers for pesticide
use must be punished. They also urged upon the farmers to stop using pesticide
as these have serious implications for human health and the health of all other
animals and birds. It is a serious threat to biodiversity. Among the political
parties, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) protested and demanded probe against the
incident.
This incident is only is a tip of the iceberg, and requires
further investigation to understand the deluge of death and damage to lives in
the area. UBINIG is campaigning against the use of pesticide and is following up
the incident for more evidence of environmental, ecological and health
consequences of heavy use of lethal pesticides.
[This report is based on Newspaper reports published in the
Manabzamin on 6th September, 1999, Bhorer Kagaz ( 1st September 1999) and
Inqilab (2nd September, 1999) The investigative report by Nur Islam from Jessore
of Manab Zamin has been used as a source of information.]
For further information please contact:
UBINIG 5/3 Barabo Mahanpur Ring road, Shaymoli Dhaka - 1207
BANGLADESH Tel: 880-2-8111465/8116420 Fax: 880-2-8113065 e-mail: ubinig@citechco.net
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U B I N I G 5/3 Barabo Mahanpur, Ring Road, Shaymoli,
Dhaka-1207 BANGLADESH Tel: 880-2-8111465; Fax: 880-2-8113065 email: "UBINIG"
<ubinig@citechco.net, "Nayakrishi Andolon" <nkrishi@bdmail.net
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Act of knowledge fragments the object to be known, how else
is it possible? A saint also learns by Parts, through the mediation of time and
space But her project is to experience the unity of beings. The idiot fragments
the whole and remain happy only with Parts Unity of Whole is the tree of wisdom,
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idiot from a wise person?
FAKIR LALON SHAH
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