Public Health I m plications of Pesticide Residues in Meat

India, after independence, has to meet with most friendly technologies viz, integrated pest management difficult challenge of overcoming the problem of long- system, use of neem based insecticides and other standing food crisis owing to rapidly growing biopesticides are available for pest management, population. For attaining self-sufficiency in food grain farmers rely mostly on the chemical pesticides production, Government of India played a pivotal role because of their easy availability, immediate and on the agricultural front by providing overall spectacular effect (Little, 1996). In addition, these leadership and co-ordination as well as by providing a pesticide chemicals have contributed a lot to the significant part of the financing for agricultural betterment of human health through the control of programs. India's agricultural growth strategy, after vectors of dreaded diseases like malaria, typhus etc. independence, was mainly evolved after second Five- (Bindra and Kalra, 1973). Year Plan. India's economic development during The positive side of the use of pesticides include fourth to sixth five year plan is identified enhancement of economic potential in terms of predominantly as the Green Revolution. Many increased production of food and fiber as well as modern agricultural implements, new varieties of prevention of vector-borne diseases, whereas on the generic seeds and financial assistance were made negative front this resulted in serious health available to farmers that increased the yield of food implications to man and his environment in the form of crops such as wheat, rice and corn, as well as variety of known and unknown toxic symptoms. commercial crops like cotton, tea, tobacco, and coffee. Therefore, the thrust of this discussion will be to This intensive agriculture with judicious use of inputs review the causes for occurrence of pesticide residues, like fertilizers, new seed varieties and water etc. was health hazards associated with dietary exposure of successful in meeting the goals of self-sufficiency in pesticides, Indian scenario for pesticide residues in food-grain production and adequate buffer stocks by meat and prevention and control strategies for the end of the 1970s with imports being negligible. occurrence of pesticide residues in animal products. Intensive agricultural production, however, was Causes and concerns of pesticide residues not sufficient to meet the requirement for the swelling population of India mainly due to production losses The principal sources of pesticide residues in during growing, harvesting and storage. Nearly crops, food animals, soil, water and almost all food 60,000 species of invertebrate pests and plant diseases commodities are given below (Mukherjee and Gopal, in the field and storage, and 8000 species of weeds 1996): Veterinary World, Vol.4 No.4 April 2011 17