– Advocate Girish Raut
There is a worrisome situation emerging. To stop spread of corona virus, authorities normally spray toxic pesticides across the country.
Taking such measures can have dire consequences.
In 1966, Rachel Carson, a cancer-stricken American citizen, came up with the book “The Silent Spring.” This book sheds light on cancer caused by spraying pesticides (then it was DDT and now other toxic chemicals). In the top layer of soil, air, water and consequently in to nature’s food chain and predatory food chains. Bio-accumulation of these toxic chemicals have also poisoned creatures on higher level in food chain, like humans, animals and birds. Rachel Carson demonstrated through her own cancer disease how such toxic chemicals cause the destruction of biological chains and bio-diversity.
From the time immemorial, the spring season is rejuvenating this earth and then it is this same spring season which has become still and lifeless due to poisons in the name of insecticides and disinfectants and so the name ‘silent spring’, is given to the book.
This created a storm, a wave of awakening in United States. There were stormy discussions in Congress; the result was that, spraying of such chemicals was banned in US which was followed by other European countries.
Unfortunately in a country like India, companies continued to sell such products. Spraying for malaria started which did not help eradicate malaria; rather bees, butterflies, insects and other small creatures were destroyed. People got cancer.
Toxic layer of chemicals on the leaves of the trees, adversely affected the function of photosynthesis which gives us oxygen. Mosquitoes grew due to the absence of its predators. the mosquitoes lay eggs in stagnant water and larva stay in water and grow within two weeks. By supporting chemicals it was not noticed that that their population will increase.
These chemicals are tested in closed rooms, but the fact is, in open, slight smell of such spray, drives mosquitoes away, do not kill them and then generations of new mosquitoes are born with increased immunity. Human immunity does not increase at this pace. Poisonous pesticides enter into the lungs of human, are spread all over in the body with blood circulation and give rise to cancer and other deadly ailments.
The United Nations (UNO) launched a program called “health for all” in 1975 to completely eliminate malaria from around the world by the year 2000. But actually this did not happen. On the contrary, what we see is, malaria increased.
Corona virus can be in and around the infected persons body, as well as on other objects. We have seen that spraying disinfectants is basically incorrect. Is it necessary to spray pesticides randomly on everything and in the atmosphere? Besides, the employees of the municipality are doing a good job. They are keeping the cities clean.
Rachel Carson also pointed out the interests of pesticide and insecticide companies. Bhopal gas tragedy that killed 25000 people overnight was caused due to leakage of poisonous gas ‘methyl isocyanate’, released from the pesticide manufacturing factory of ‘Union Carbide’ Company.
It is heard that the current spraying is of chemicals coming from Japan and they are highly potent. The influence of Japan and Western countries on the people of our country is a known fact. We experienced this in our struggle against the Jaitapur nuclear power project. Earlier US example was given but when US and Europe started reducing nuclear power plants, Japan was used as an example as to how flawless their technology is, etc.
But in March 2011, earthquake and tsunami caused three Fukushima nuclear reactors to explode resulting in horrific melt down and Japan’s bubble burst. The area of a circle of radius of 30 km is permanently evacuated. HUMANS cannot inhabit in future. In that accident, there were still eleven reactors likely to explode. Had some of them been exploded, Japan’s Capital and worlds most populated city ‘Tokyo’ consisting of 3.5 crores of high-density population would have had to be evacuated permanently. Japan is aware of this fact. So, 54 nuclear reactors are closed till today.
The only solution for corona virus is lock down, to stay indoors and not to make a crowd. Corona attacks lungs. So the patient goes on ventilator.
Spraying of chemicals will adversely affect the lungs and to the oxygen giving plants.
Importantly, global experts say that corona is neutralized by washing things with soap and water, then why spray the poisons and spoil our lungs?
Doctors recommend steam, gargling hot water mixed with salt, turmeric, alum. Inhaling hot water steam twice or thrice a day is a preventive therapy. Dr. Fahim Sayyad of Kasturba Hospital is seen in the video drinking hot tea every two hours.
The virus stays in the body. Why poison all the environment in its name?
Let the more trees grow. Do not cut trees. They have made our life possible. They nourish us. They give oxygen vital for our lungs, can save us.
Tens of millions of microbes in one gram of soil have a crucial role in human life. Humans and other organism’s digestive systems are maintained by these bacteria. They have balanced, atmospheric oxygen, nitrogen and other gases which have made our life possible on this planet. These micro organisms, earthworms convert the remains of plants and animals back into soil as a food for plants and in turn to other living organisms.
We too were micro organisms about a billion years ago. All the organisms have evolved from that stage. This wonderful evolution is incessantly on, in nature even at this very moment. Spraying of poisonous chemicals have destroyed this process and caused great damage. Chemical disinfectants were absent on earth. The microbes in nature have biologically controlled the pathogens for millions and millions of years and saved us, about which we humans are ignorant.
Agriculture is the alchemy of small living creatures. For thousands of years, this was maintained in a natural way. But chemical fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides, weed killers have destroyed our agriculture. Made the food poisonous.
The cause of the virus is the destruction of biological diversity, tree – forest, soil, mountains, rivers creeks and sea. Point to be noted is that corona had spread in modern cities of concrete and marble jungles in so-called advanced world of China, Europe and America. They have spread tons of disinfectants but proved to be in vain.
Currently polluting cars and construction works are closed. The spring season is rejuvenating the earth. There is pleasant sunshine. Pollution has reduced. *This is a blessing in disguise.* Let us not lose the health benefits of this, by spraying toxic chemicals.
So far, this spraying was taken up due to the influence of corporate, to finish the budget and also due to lack of awareness.
It is a request to all municipalities and responsible organisations and citizens to stop spraying of chemicals. We need to also completely avoid spraying undertaken to stop malaria.
*Author is Convener of Save Life and Save Earth Movement
Translation: Geeta Sahu
