Now, insecticide sprayed at CWG under the scanner

Environmentalists have objected to the spraying of chemicals in the Games Village. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi is spraying synthetic pyrethroids, potent lipophilic insecticides for mosquito control at the Commonwealth Games sites due to the dengue scare, unmindful of the dangers posed by exposure due to inhalation of ambient air that is possible after these compounds have been used.

According to some New Delhi-based experts, the use of these products can lead to both dermal and inhalation exposure. The fact is that pyrethroids are synthetic analogs and derivatives of the original pyrethrins and represent a diverse group of over 1,000 powerful insecticides. The synthetic pyrethroids are released to the environment due to their use as insecticides.

According to Gopal Krishna of the ToxicsWatch Alliance," These compounds are biodegraded in soil and water and can also undergo hydrolysis under alkaline conditions. Since these compounds adsorb strongly to soils, they are not taken up substantially by the roots of vascular plants. These compounds bio-accumulate in aquatic organisms and are
extremely toxic to fish."

An expert panel that studied the proposal of spraying synthetic pyrethroids gave its nod to use the particular chemical exclusively at the Commonwealth Games venues to control mosquito breeding. 

People opposing the use of the spray say, "This panel erred in not examining non-toxic measures. For instance, an inch of rain water at the bottom of a cup left outdoors can produce 1 000 mosquitoes every week! Since mosquitoes breed in stagnant water, such issues should have been dealt with."

MCD officials who say that it is safe to use pyrethroids in India as they are considered to be one of the least toxic insecticides to humans and are quickly deactivated by metabolic processes. But Krishna says that these claims are misleading and have misguided Delhi's health minister to approve this proposal.

MCD's health department has been quoted as saying that mosquitoes will not breed for about three months after synthetic pyrethroids are sprayed on the walls.

ToxicsWatch Alliance claims that it is being incorrectly argued that synthetic pyrethroids are relatively safe. The general population is primarily exposed to pyrethrins and pyrethroids from the ingestion of food, particularly vegetables and fruits. Almost all systemic effects are related to the action of pyrethrins and pyrethroids on the nervous system. Direct skin contact may cause temporary paresthesia (abnormal cutaneous sensations such as tingling, burning, stinging, numbness, and itching) that is limited to the area of contact.

ToxicsWatch Alliance has demanded that the spraying of synthetic pyrethroids must be stopped immediately and biological and other creative methods must be used for achieving the same end. The authorities should consider ways of warding off adult mosquitoes by using herbs that repel mosquitoes such as cedarwood, garlic, lemongrass, frankincense, cinnamon, geranium, eucalyptus, basil, rosemary, cloves, peppermint, lemon balm, onions, feverfew, thyme and marigold.