FAISALABAD, July 28: Accidental deaths from poisoning due to agro-chemicals are on the rise across the country for lack of education and knowledge, inadequate precautionary measures, improper storage conditions and carelessness.

This was observed by research scientists and entomologists while speaking to the participants of a seminar on 'Pesticides Poisoning and Public Health in Pakistan' held in the University of Agriculture here on Wednesday.

The research scholars said that according to the UN's 1998 report, over 500,000 Pakistanis suffered annually from poisoning due to agro-chemicals and around 10,000 out of them died.

They said that due to extensive use of pesticides on crops, the serious diseases like feminization of males, masculinization of females, enlarged thyroid glands, birth defects, behavioral changes and depressed immune system had been increasing among the people.

UAF's Agricultural Entomology Department chairman Dr Anjum Sohail, Faculty of Agriculture Dean Dr Muhammad Ashfaq, NIAB Director Dr Mohsin Iqbal and other researchers highlighted the side effects of pesticides and precautionary measures for the farming community.

They noted that the current screening process did not provide adequate information about safeguarding the human health. They stressed the need for awareness among public about the dangerous effects of pesticides and for adopting modern technology to control this serious trend.

The seminar through a resolution demanded that workshops should be organized to educate farmers and others associated with pesticides business. Through another resolution, it was stressed that measures should be taken to discourage multinational firms from promoting and exporting dangerous chemicals to developing countries like Pakistan.

A better control over the disposal and dispersal of chemicals should also be introduced. The field application should be supervised by the trained and qualified personnel. Besides, the field workers should also avoid long exposures to active material, the seminar concluded.

ARRESTED: Factory Area police arrested 15 labourers and their leaders from their houses and factories in Samanabad, Ali Town, Maqsoodabad and other industrial areas for taking out a protest rally and blocking a road against factory owners here on Wednesday.

The police team, headed by Factory Area SHO Saleem Haider Shah, raided a number of houses of labourers and their leaders and arrested them. The police also tortured the arrested workers during raids and then locked them in the police station. Among the arrested were Ghulam Rasool, Abdul Jabbar, Abdul Razzaq, Naveed, Shafiq and Sajjad.

Heavy police contingents were deployed at industrial areas of Maqsoodabad and Ali Town to stop the announced protest rally of labourers. All the same, the labourers observed a complete strike in their respective powerloom factories and gathered at Eidgah Chowk, Ali Town.

They also chanted slogans in favour of their demands. The police and Elite Force encircled the demonstrators and forced them to disperse. MPA and deputy opposition leader in the Punjab Assembly, Rana Sanaullah Khan, also rushed to the spot and held dialogues with the protesting powerloom workers.

He assured them that their grievances would be redressed after holding talks with the Labour Welfare Department and the district administration. Earlier, leaders of powerloom workers, Rasheed Malik, Rana Shabbir, Asghar Ali and Arif Hussain at a news conference alleged that police teams had violated all norms during raids on the houses of workers and their leaders.

They claimed that the arrested workers were being tortured in the police station just to teach them a lesson to raise voice against the factory owners and for getting their basic rights like social security and Old Age Benefits.

Hundreds of powerloom workers had demonstrated on Tuesday against the factory owners and to get fringe benefits. Three labourers sustained serious injuries when police tortured the demonstrators on Kutchery Road.

STRANGLED: A man allegedly strangled his wife over some domestic dispute in Madinaabad here on Wednesday. Sabir Ali fell out with his wife Samina Bibi and then strangled her in rage in the presence of his children.The police have registered a case against the absconding accused.