A collection of articles on the threat posed to public health by pesticide residues and industrial toxins. From the economic costs of pollution to the health threats posed by the growing contamination of soil, air groundwater and river systems in India.
Last fortnight, we began discussing ‘authorities’, and asked: Is this variant of governance reform working? This time, let’s consider the Food Safety and Standards Authority (fssa). It was created because of a recommendation of the Joint Parliamentary Committee which investigated our report on pesticide content in soft drinks and the lack of standards to regulate contamination in food.
When Parliament convenes for the monsoon session, the government plans to introduce the Food Safety and Standards Bill, 2005. I am sure the government will hope there is enough mayhem to distract the attention of legislators from the bill, which has been crafted carefully to weaken consumer protection in the face of the power of the growing business of food. Food we know is a sunshine industry. And industry tells government that the regulatory regime is cumbersome and corrupt. This, it adds, strangles the industry. These arguments are correct.
It is difficult to imagine how a greater tragedy could occur to a peace time population than the deadly gas leak in Bhopal on the night of December 2-3, 1984.
A hard-hitting exposé by CSE on how the pesticide industry connived with government officials and scientists in Kerala to successfully lift the ban on a deadly pesticide. At stake here is the integrity of the state government's decision-making for generations far into the future. It not only spells irreparable harm for the residents of Kerala, but also makes a mockery of public health concerns.
India's Supreme Court facilitates USD 470 million settlement between Union Carbide Corp. and Government of India for compensating victims of Bhopal gas tragedy. Court terminates all civil and criminal cases against Union Carbide officials.
Supreme Court rejects plea for review of USD 470 million settlement between Indian government and Union Carbide. Reinstates criminal proceedings against UCC Chairman and officials.
In February, we released a study on pesticide residues in bottled water being sold in the market. We reported how we found legalised pesticides in bottled water. In other words, the norms for regulating pesticide levels in these bottles were so designed that pesticide residues would not be detected.
Chandigarh, June 7, 2005: A study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a New Delhi-based research and advocacy organisation, has found very high levels of pesticide residues in human blood samples taken from Punjab villages. The study conducted by the Centre’s Pollution Monitoring Laboratory appears in the fortnightly newsmagazine Down To Earth (June 15, 2005).
New Delhi, August 17, 2009: The paints used in Indian homes come with a deadly health cost. Most of the popular brands of paints contain high quantities of lead, a toxin especially dangerous for children -- says a latest study done by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).
New Delhi, February 3, 2009: How ‘healthy’ is the oil that you are eating? Despite tall claims by companies and manufacturers, the stark truth is that you can never tell.
New Delhi, August 17, 2003: From attacking CSE’s testing methodology; trying to pass off water tests instead of tests on the final product; using the WTO as a bogeyman; questioning the existence of laboratories in the country that can test their products; to even questioning the existence of standards elsewhere in the world. Pepsi and Coca-Cola are trying every trick in the corporate book to discredit concerns raised by the CSE report on pesticides in aerated drinks sold in India.
The Supreme Court today asked Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages to withdraw its petition, saying there were no grounds for the Court to hear the issue. Although a copy of the petition was not yet available, Mr Kapil Sibal, counsel for Coca-Cola, argued that the tests on cola samples were being carried out by laboratories across the country that are not accredited and without any standards for pesticide levels in the country.
The Centre for Science and Environment welcomes the decision of the High Court in response to a petition filed by PepsiCo India Holdings Pvt Ltd and Others, calling for an expert committee to review the findings of pesticide residues in carbonated soft drinks. The experts’ findings are to be made available in 3 weeks. All sides agreed that the government should choose the laboratories where the testing is done, and samples for testing should be picked up at random from the market, not provided by the company.
New Delhi, August 8, 2003: The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) welcomes the Union government’s initiative to have soft drinks sold by the two cola giants independently tested for pesticide residues. CSE advises the government to broaden the ambit: testing must be done also for residues of cadmium, arsenic and lead, since the standard for these hazardous substances is much higher – 50 times – than what is legislated for the bottled water industry.