Mediation over relief to pesticide inhalation poisoning victims fails at OECD

Nagpur: The mediation between Swiss agrochemical giant Syngenta, and a group of NGOs at Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) over remedy to victims of 2017 pesticide inhalation episodes in Vidarbha has ended without any results.

The NGOs had taken up the case on behalf of 51 persons from Yavatmal, who suffered pesticide poisoning in 2017. The organizations led by Pesticide Action Network (PAN) had contacted the Swiss national contact point (NCP) of OECD, which is an international body. Switzerland is an OECD member. OECD has a NCP at each of the member countries where cases of alleged violation of the international body’s norms can be taken up.

Apart from this, PAN has already moved a Swiss local court demanding relief for three victims. These include two widows of persons who died after pesticide poisoning, and one survivor.

The NGOs have demanded relief based on their allegation that the poisoning was caused by Polo, a brand of pesticide made by Syngenta. The OECD NCP talks failed because Syngenta refused to discuss the issue till the litigation is pending. The NGOs have cried foul over the company’s stance.

The NCP also upheld Syngenta’s stance that the question whether Polo caused the intoxication of farmers cannot be discussed until the conclusion of judicial proceedings, said a release by the NGOs.

Narsimha Reddy of PAN said a meeting would be held at Yavatmal and legal remedy would be sought in Indian courts.

The pesticide poisoning had led to health issues like reduced vision, reduced capacity to work, which continued even after hospitalization, says the NGO.

Syngenta, on the other hand, has said a Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up by the Maharashtra government has already issued a report that the deaths were caused due to improper application of pesticides.

The report does not blame Syngenta or any of its products, and the company was also not involved in any of the criminal investigations. No civil lawsuits or complaints were filed against it too.

The company’s note issued to TOI on the matter says that Syngenta has been appointed the nodal company to train farmworkers and small farmers in proper use of crop protection products. This has led to training of 5,000 spray men to carry out the job.