Green is the buzz word in Rajya Sabha

The Indian environment guzzles nearly 1.75 lakh tonne of pesticides, of which 70 per cent are banned in the Western countries after WHO list...

The Indian environment guzzles nearly 1.75 lakh tonne of pesticides, of which 70 per cent are banned in the Western countries after WHO listed them as extremely poisonous.

Kumkum Rai, RJD, made this revelation in the Rajya Sabha while seeking the Government’s attention on the health hazards posed by the illogical use of pesticides in the country. India has been listed by WHO with the highest incidence of pesticide-poisoning cases.

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NEW DELHI: Concerned over large number of vacancies, Shabana Azmi today warned that ‘‘lofty’’ goals of universalisation of education by 2007 would remain only on paper if immediate steps were not taken to tackle the problem of shortage of primary teachers. Raising a special mention in the Rajya Sabha, she said though the Human Resource Development Minister has assured free education to all children by 2007, this lofty goal cannot be achieved if there was a shortage of 11 lakh primary teachers in the country. ‘‘There is no shortage of funds and what is lacking is political will,’’ she said. (Agencies)

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Rai’s was one of several voices in the House on a day when the weekend mood had crept in and sent many MPs packing to their constituencies. Notwithstanding a near-deserted House, the MPs made a strong case for restoring health of the country’s environment.

Rai, through her special mention, said the unchecked use of pesticides had started recoiling on the farming sector. Several species had already developed immunity to pesticides. The desperation of cotton growers in the face of pesticide-resistant insects should ring alarm bells.

Rai asked the Government to make laws to monitor the impact of pesticides on water, soil and flora of the country and to regulate their use and keep tabs on the long-term hazards caused by them on human heath.

Abu Asim Azmi, Samajwadi Party, moved a resolution to focus on the poor quality of drinking water in the country.

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Azmi, through his private members resolution, said that as clean drinking water was not available to people, bottled water was an option. However, at present bottled water was expensive and beyond the reach of common people. Therefore, the Government should supply bottled or poly-packed water through its public distribution system.

Azmi also proposed that the Centre set up a Central drinking water advisory board to make more provisions for making safe drinking water available to people.

In the same vein, Lalit Suri, an Independent member, asked the Government to raise its promised botanical gardens in NOIDA to supplement the depleting forest cover in Uttar Pradesh. Ram Gopa Yadav, Samajwadi Party, asked the Government why mafia was openly usurping the forest land in UP.

Environment Minister T.R. Baalu said the state government, it seemed, was ‘‘more keen to appoint policemen while it had refused to recruit forest guards.’’

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