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Kidney disease spreads; Govt. to ban ads on agro-chemicals
View(s):Fresh on the heels of the continuing milk food crisis and questions over the advertising of milk products, the Government wants to impose a ban on advertising pesticides and agro chemicals causing the mounting Chronic Kidney Disease in Sri Lanka and establish a statutory Technological Council to promote environmentally friendly agriculture.
These are highlights of recommendations made by a panel of experts commissioned by a Parliamentary Consultative Committee. Now, Agriculture Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena has sought ministerial approval to give effect to several recommendations. They include:
4Strengthening the legal framework to authorise state officials including those in the health sector and Grama Niladharis to enable them to take legal action against those resorting to indiscriminate use of pesticides and those supporting this practice. 4Prohibit the sale and the use of Propenil, Glyphosate, Carbaryl and Chlorpyrifos which have been identified as urinal residues of kidney patients.
4Supply of drinking water free of insipidity to areas where kidney disease is spreading.
4Imposing a 10 per cent cess on all imported pesticide varieties and the amount of levy to be used for welfare of kidney patients and related research activities.
Minister Abeywardena has noted that by the time a suspected case is diagnosed, the functioning of the kidneys has deteriorated by 65% to 75%. He has said that “the total number of kidney patients along with suspected cases yet to be diagnosed may be much higher than the present calculation. Although, at the beginning almost all reported cases were between the age groups of 50 and 60 years, at present individuals in lower age groups too are falling prey to the disease which has now spread beyond Rajarata.”
He has added, “In view of the fact that those in lower age groups are now diagnosed as kidney patients, and the research findings of tissue testing from kidney patients both dead and yet living, all researchers have come to the conclusion that this may be a disease caused by toxic nephropathy. In addition research outcomes around the globe have proved that indiscriminate use of agro-chemicals leads to kidney diseases, diabetes, heart failure, nervous disorders and infertility etc.”
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