Pesticide deaths: Maharashtra govt suspends district agriculture officer

District Agriculture Development Officer, Dattatreya Kalsai, was suspended by the government which come under pressure from NHRC.

Maharashtra government has suspended District Agriculture Development Officer in the wake of the death of farmers and injuries to several others after inhaling poisonous pesticide in Yavatmal district.

District Agriculture Development Officer, Dattatreya Kalsai, was suspended by the government which come under pressure from NHRC.

The NHRC had issued notices to the Centre as well as the Maharashtra government, seeking their reply over death of farmers.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued the notices to chief secretary of Maharashtra and secretary of the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.

According to farm activists, the pesticide exposure in Yavatmal district has so far claimed at least 19 lives, although the government is yet to specify the number of deceased farmers.

Meanwhile, farmer deaths due to pesticides has risen to 34. Twenty case reported from Yavatmal, seven in Nagpur, six in Akola and one in Amravati.

(With agency inputs)