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Taking into consideration the grievances faced by the people and the sufferings of the ailing villagers and to take up this issue at larger forum Kheti Virasat and Green Peace India has jointly organised a Public Hearing on " Environmental Health Impacts of Pesticides " on July 18,2004 at Bathinda. From the last five years Kheti Virasat is working for the propagation of sustainable agriculture, conservation of natural resources and sensitising the masses and particularly the physicians about the challenges of environmental health in Punjab. During its study on health impacts of pesticides Kheti Virasat came across the fact that cancer is prevailing in entire cotton belt of Punjab.It is osserved that the Bathinda district is prime victim of adverse impacts of pesticides. In this study the area with in 80 Km. of the cotton belt region of Punjab with Bathinda as center was taken into consideration. It was analysed that farmers who inhaled large quantities of pesticides during their usage were facing many helth problems. It was noticed by researchers that amnesia, cancer, miscarriages,still births, infertility were some serious defects suffered by the people in the studied area. The overall picture emerged from the study is very much dissappointing and terrible.It seems that Punjab is sitting on time bomb of environmental health, so serious steps should be taken up immediately to build up a strong civic movement to take up the issue of environmental health. The Public Hearing People from the worst effected villages of Talwandi Sabo and Rampura Phul block has participated in the public hearing and submitted their submission and narrated their state of suffering and illness before the bench .These villages were -Jajjal, Mahi Nagal, Bangi Nihal Singh Wala, Gayana, Ramanwas ,Nandgarh ,Harkrishan Pura and Mandi Khurd. Apart from these villages two farmers growing organic cotton in villages of Mehta and Rai Ke Kalan were also invited to tell their experiences in organic farming. The Panel The Panel constituted for Public Hearing consisting eminent lawyer of environmental issues Shri Sanjay Parikh, Advocate Supreme Court of India, New Delhi, Shri Davinder Sharma Agriculture expert and Trade Policy analyst, New Delhi, Dr. G.P.I.Singh, HoD, Department of preventative and social medicine, Dayanand Medical College & Hospital, Ludhiana and Dr. Ashish Tayal, Scientific Advisir GreenPeace India. Skip Navigation Links Skip Navigation Links Skip Navigation Links Skip Navigation Links

KHETI VIRASAT activities related to Environmental Journalism

Working with the environmental cell of Gandhi Peace Foundation for the production of film slides on " Wet lands and Water resources of Punjab."