On 3rd December 2009, Khoj-Society for People's Education, Lahore in collaboration with Pesticide Action Network Asia & Pacific, Penang observed "Say No to Pesticides Use Day" to draw attention to the life threatening impacts of chemical pesticides on people and the environment.  

Launched in 1998 by Pesticide Action Network International, December 3 was designated Global No Pesticides Use Day in memory of the 1984 disaster in Bhopal, India , when over 500,000 people were exposed to a lethal gas ( methyl isocyanate ) released from the Union Carbide factory. The immediate death toll was 3000-5000 people, but since then over 20,000 people have succumbed to health complications arising from the exposure to the gas.  Cases of chronic illnesses are still mounting among survivors to this day.

This year's advocacy aims to raise awareness among local communities, policy makers and the public for the need for reduction towards elimination of highly hazardous pesticides. 

   


KHOJ-Society for People's Education marked the day by expanding the scope of its awareness building campaign on the hazards of pesticides to new villages with the rural women and men both. The first meeting was organized at Chak 5 in the rice-wheat belt area that farmers from neighboring villages also attended. The pesticides being used in the villages became a topic of special focus.“The way pesticides are being used in Pakistan is playing havoc with the soils, water, environment and lives of people. Maternal and new born health is at a greater risk to the dangers of pesticides as the studies have found a positive association of exposure to pesticides with very adverse effects on women's reproductive health. Serious and concerted action is required before it gets too late”, asserted Nasira Habib, Founder Director, Khoj-Society for People's Education, Lahore.

Last year, on December 3 rd , Dr. Iftikhar Ahmad, Director General, National Agriculture Research Center (NARC) was invited to give a presentation on the pesticide peril in Pakistan. In 2009, PARC came forward and National IPM Programme of Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) observed “No Pesticides Day” on 3rd December 2009 at National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC) Islamabad by organizing an awareness seminar to highlight Pakistan Agricultural Research Council's initiatives like rationalizing pesticide use by IPM-FFS education process, promotion of organic agriculture, bioremediation of waste water and gender mainstreaming at policy and farmer level to minimize health and environment related hazards due to pesticide use.

Khoj has been networking with a number of other groups on the issue of pesticides and the future initiatives are expected to be on much larger scale.