A high-level committee was formed by the State government on Tuesday to probe the death of 18 farmers in Vidarbha’s Yavatmal district. The farmers lost their lives due to improper spraying of ‘Profex Super’ insecticide on cotton plantations.
The Hindu on Sunday had reported that the number of deaths was likely to go up with more such instances coming to light.
Kishor Tiwari, chief of the Vasantrao Naik Shetkari Swavalamban Mission, said over 600 cases of insecticide infection had been reported in the district.
₹2 lakh compensation
He said indiscriminate use of wrong combinations of insecticides and direct and continuous exposure to toxic substances owing to lack of protective gear were the reasons for the death of the farmers and farm workers over the past one week.
The Cabinet on Tuesday discussed the issue and announced ₹2 lakh to family members of each of the victims.
“The government has taken a serious note of the incident. A committee headed by Additional Chief Secretary (Home) will probe the incident and has been asked to submit its report at the earliest,” said Agriculture Minister Pandurang Fundkar.
Former Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar too has sought a detailed report.
