The district administration will intensify checking along the border routes and plantation areas to counter the use of endosulfan which is reportedly being brought from Tamil Nadu in bottles with fake labels. The raids in the plantation segments would continue and police cases would be registered against those farms and individuals found using the banned pesticide, said District Collector M.C.Mohandas.
A district-level squad has been formed to implement the ban strictly. On the border check posts, there will be a joint checking by the police, officials of Regional Transport Corporation and the agriculture department
The district administration has decided to launch various projects to wean away the farmers from the large scale use of pesticides. An awareness campaign will be launched to spread traditional knowledge regarding pest control and eco-friendly farming among farmers and workers.
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The Collector also gave directions to the officials to keep a tab on the use of pesticides in Vattavada and Kanthallur, the main vegetable growing villages.