4 people admitted for pesticide poisoning in Maha's Yavatmal

Four people are currently undergoing treatment for pesticide poisoning at the Government Medical College in Maharashtra's Yavatmal district, said a senior medical officer today.

Dr Manish Shrigiriwar, dean of the hospital, said that 11 people had been admitted for pesticide poisoning since July 1, of which seven had been discharged following treatment.

Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Home, Hansraj Ahir, who was in the district today, has instructed the agriculture department to ensure that farmers do not undertake spraying of pesticides without the stipulated safety gear including masks.

"We will provide free kits soon to farmers. The agriculture assistants of the department have been asked to keep a watch on the spraying of pesticides," Ahir, a Lok Sabha MP from nearby Chandrapur, said.

A local farmer leader and district chief Shetkari Warkari Sanghatana Sikander Shah demanded that the agriculture department provide kits and organise tehsil level training camps for farmers.

Last year, incidents of deaths of farmers due to pesticide poisoning in Yavatmal district had come to light, prompting chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to order an enquiry.

Although the government had not specified the number of deaths, farm activist Kishor Tiwari and the Shiv Sena had said that 18 farmers had died due to pesticide exposure.