If statistics in the report pertaining to blood samples of victims tested for ascertaining exposure to organo-phosphate pesticide or poisoning during the June 30 fire in the chemical reactor at Nagarjuna Agrichem Limited at Srikakulam are to be believed, the residents of villages around the factory are victim of chronic OP poisoning.
While the procedure of blood test was conducted as a mere eye-wash with just one sample from each individual, contrary to the requirement of multiple samples over a period of time, the level of enzyme cholinesterase (used for monitoring OP poisoning) found in the “normal” population is much higher than even that among the accident victims. US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lists organ-ophosphates as highly toxic to humans and even wildlife.
Dr A.K. Purohit, professor and head, department of neurosurgery, Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (Nims), when shown the report said that serial estimations of the enzyme acetyl cholinesterase are required. “While the lab takes normal values for children, men and women below 40 years as 5,400-13,200 U/L, one M. Kurma Rao, 34, showed levels as high as 24,980 U/L. This means that the population, considered to be normal and not exposed to organo-phosphorous compounds, is actually chronic victim of OP poisoning. Or else, there has been some error while taking samples or reference for normal levels,” he said.
Muddada Ravi Chandra, member secretary, APPCB, while speaking to this newspaper revealed that these compounds that are volatile could have been inhaled for longer periods by those in the vicinity. “APPCB will ask the district collector to identify the 10 people, other than those five accident victims, from whom the samples were taken. Further, instructions will be given to repeat the tests with multiple samples over a period of one month or so. If the report is found to be correct for the normal population, steps shall be taken for screening and checking possible violations of norms by the unit, which might have led to chronic OP poisoning in the surrounding population,” he said.
As per the report, of the 15 samples, levels of cholinesterase in U/L were found high in all including 10 samples from normal population and five from workers affected in the accident. At least five normal samples had levels of more than 20,000 U/L of cholinesterase while three had more than 15,000 U/L, which is decisively much higher than the normal.