WTO Issues + PESTICIDE HAZARDS + Rural Employment Programme

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In This NEWS Bulletin ******************************* 1. PESTICIDE HAZARDS - Cotton growers face health hazards, says study. The study—The Deadly Chemicals in Cotton—deals with pesticide hazards in West Africa, India and Uzbekistan WTO & Trade Issues - 2. SOUTH MORE ENTHUASTIC THAN NORTH OVER TRADE - Can South-South trade lift rural farm fortunes ? 3. G-4 trade ministers’ meet in April to break WTO impasse RURAL EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMME 4. ‘Anomalies in wage payment under NREGA in Andhra Pradesh’ - Cases of government

personnel charging around Rs 50 per job card, alleges management expert 5. ‘Schemes not enough to shape dreams’ : Planning Commission Cotton growers face health hazards, says study --- PESTICIDE HAZARDS Cotton growers face health hazards, says study. The study—The Deadly Chemicals in Cotton—deals with pesticide hazards in West Africa, India and Uzbekistan http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=160514 ASHOK B SHARMA Posted online: Monday, April 09, 2007 at 0004 hours

IST NEW DELHI, APR 8 : Cotton production in the country is heavily associated with the intensive use of hazardous pesticides. About 10 million cotton growers and farm labourers are working in a highly unsafe occupational environment where protective measures and equipment for safe handling are far from being adopted, said a study conducted jointly by two UK-based organisations—Environmental Justice Foundation and Pesticide Action Network. The causes of India’s low yields are highly complex, but contemporary farming practices undoubtedly play a major role, said the study. “Traditional methods of pest control, such as manual removal of pests, intercropping, crop rotation and burning or removal of cotton residues from the soil have been largely abandoned and high-yielding crop varieties which are significantly more susceptible to plant pests and diseases have been introduced,” it said. The

study: The Deadly Chemicals in Cotton deals with pesticide hazards in West Africa, India and Uzbekistan in special chapters. The emphasis on India is significant from the introductory remarks of the study. The study said in an attempt to limit the damage caused by pest infestations, Indian cotton growers now apply an estimated $344 million of chemical pesticides annually, out of which $235 million is spent for trying to control bollworm alone. The study lists a number of hazardous pesticides like organophosphorous compound, monocrotophos which account for 22% of the entire cotton insecticides market in India. Other hazardous pesticides in use are quinalphos, fenvalerate, chlorpyrifos, dimethoate and imidacloprid. Hardly Green • About 10 million cotton growers and farm labourers work in a very unsafe environment• Indian cotton growers now apply an estimated $344 million of chemical pesticides

annually• Labourers report symptoms like headache, excessive vomiting, nausea, blurred vision• Worldwide farmers spend $1,320 a year on chemical pesticides, far more than is applied to any other single crop Referring to findings made in 2000 in three villages in Andhra Pradesh, the study said that cotton growers applied extremely hazardous pesticides like parathion, methyl parathion and phosphamidon, while farmers in neighbouring Karnataka are known to use ethion and carbaryl. Further studies conducted in 2005 on 97 cotton growers in three villages in Andhra Pradesh revealed 323 separate incidents of ill health over a 5-month observation period. Labourers reported symptoms including headache, excessive vomiting, nausea, dizziness, blurred vision, staggering gait, muscle cramp, twitching eyelids, tremors, loss of consciousness and seizures. Of the total incidents reported, 39% were linked

to symptoms of mild poisoning, 38% to moderate poisoning and 6% with severe poisoning and up to 10% of all spraying sessions were associated three or more neurotoxic or systemic symptoms. In Punjab, blood samples from residents of four villages showed the presence of chlorpyrifos in 85% of the samples, monocrotophos in 75% and endosulfan in 25%. One analysis of cotton seeds collected from five locations in Punjab found detectable residues of ethion, cypermethrin, endosulfan and chlorpyrifos. Describing cotton as “a rich man’s commodity and a poor man’s crop,” the study said the bulk of world’s cotton fibre products are exported to wealthy nations, while 99% of cotton growers live in unhealthy conditions. Terming it as the “dirtiest crop”, it said worldwide, farmers spend $1,320 a year on chemical pesticides, far more than is applied to any other single crop.

WTO & Trade Issues - SOUTH MORE ENTHUASTIC THAN NORTH OVER TRADE Can South-South trade lift rural farm fortunes ? http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=160515 ASHOK B SHARMA Posted online: Monday, April 09, 2007 at 0007 hours IST NEW DELHI, APR 8 : Developments over the past few days have re-confirmed that the developing countries are more eager than developed countries to break the deadlock in multilateral trade. The developing countries have shown ample flexibility, without waiting for

a response from the developed world. In absence of any positive movement in the stalled WTO talks, it seems that the Third World is in a mood to foster South-South trade. In this context, it is worth noting what Pakistan commerce minister Humayun Akhtar said at the G-33 ministerial meet that concluded in Jakarta on March 21. He said: “We have to be realistic in our demands if we expect developed countries to be realistic in their offers.” He elaborated: “Most of us import or export a very limited number of agricultural products. In our case, 50% of our agricultural exports are of rice and 50% of our imports are of edible oils. So if others were to declare rice as their Special Products (SP) and also apply Special Safeguard Mechanism (SSM) to avoid taking any cuts in their existing bound tariffs, we would be losing whatever markets we already have. Similarly if we were to declare edible oils, which is an

important export product for Indonesia as a SP and also apply SSM, would that not be restricting rather than liberalising Indonesian exports?” Akhtar’s suggestion that other developing countries should declare rice as SP as it would spoil Pakistan’s export prospects, however, is not in line with G-33 proposal for country’s right to designate staple food or part of the basic food basket as SP. In a majority of Asian countries rice is a staple food or part of the basic food basket. Many resource poor farmers in Asia depend upon rice cultivation. It is true that Indonesia and Malaysia earn substantially from edible oil exports, but at what cost. Intensive oil palm cultivation in Malaysia and Indonesia have denuded much of the natural forest cover. Many farmers have shifted from rice cultivation to oil palm cultivation and Indonesia and Malaysia became net importers of rice. India, which had achieved

near self-sufficiency in oilseeds production, had to lose the ground on opening up for imports of edible oil. Farmers who grow oilseeds on marginal land had to suffer on account of largescale imports. Akhtar had been over enthusiastic about trade. Announcing the G-33 decision over selection of indicators for SPs, he said : “We had proposed condensing the number from 24 to 10. This not only avoids duplication but also effectively refutes the criticism that the G-33 has not been serious with its proposal by using so many indicators. I understand that our technical experts and senior officials have also agreed to reduce the number of indicators to 12.” It is not only Akhtar, Commerce minister, Kamal Nath had also time and again offered to be flexible on SPs. The 14th ministerial summit of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) which concluded in Delhi on April 4 reaffirmed its commitment to

rule-based multilateral trading system for ensuring centrality of development dimensions in all areas of negotiation. Trade dimensions dominated the conclusion of the Saarc summit. Six out of 29-point resolution deals with trade, including physical connectivity, integrated multi-modal transport, implementation of South Asia Free Trade Area (Safta), implementing trade facilitation measures, developing a road map for a South Asian Customs Union and a South Asian Economic Union and re-affirming commitment to WTO. Implementation of Safta got a boost after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said India would open up its markets to its neighbours without insisting on reciprocity and also allow duty free access to goods from the least developed countries (LDCs) in the region. It is a good gesture to the LDCs, but the rules of origin and certification procedures need to tightened up to ensure that no third country exports

take place. WTO & Trade Issues - G-4 trade ministers’ meet in April to break WTO impasse http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=160001 ASHOK B SHARMA Posted online: Wednesday, April 04, 2007 at 0000 hours IST NEW DELHI, APR 3: The trade ministers of G-4 (US, EU, Brazil and India) are slated to meet in Delhi on April 11-12 at the sidelines of the US-India Trade Policy Forum with a view to breaking the deadlock in the stalled WTO negotiations. According to sources in Geneva and Delhi, senior officials of G-4 are expected to continue

their discussions in Paris till April 4 as part of their “quiet diplomacy” for preparing the grounds for the Delhi meeting. All the three Doha Round’s most critical negotiating areas - Agriculture, NAMA and services - are being discussed in the Paris meeting which began from April 2. The G-4 trade negotiators - US Trade Representative Susan Schwab, EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson, Brazilian foreign minister Celso Amorim and Indian commerce minister Kamal Nath - are scheduled to hold bilateral and group meetings on April 11-12 in New Delhi , on the sidelines of the US-India Trade Policy Forum. According to sources bilateral meeting between G-4 members will take place on April 11 and on the next day, April 12, G-4 ministerial meeting will take place. Talks may linger for a day or so as trade ministers from Australia and Japan are also likely to join, paving the way for the formation of G-6. Thereafter some

of the trade ministers are expected to fly to Pakistan to attend the Cairns Group Ministerial Meeting in Lahore scheduled on April 16-18. The “quiet diplomacy” of select group of countries had come under severe attack by many developing and least developed countries. French Connection • Senior G-4 officials are expected to continue their “quiet diplomacy” in Paris • Agriculture, NAMA and services are being discussed in the Paris meeting from April 2• Commerce minister Kamal Nath is scheduled to meet US and EU trade representatives in April------------------------------- . RURAL EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMME‘Anomalies in wage payment under NREGA in Andhra Pradesh’ Cases of government personnel charging around Rs 50 per job card, alleges management expert http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=160510 ASHOK B SHARMA Posted online: Monday, April 09, 2007 at 0000 hours IST NEW DELHI: Serious flaws in the implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) in Andhra Pradesh have been brought to light by a team of management experts. KS Gopal, former associate faculty member in the management development division of the Administrative Staff College of India, Hyderabad, has written to state chief minister YS Rajsekhara Reddy seeking rectification of anomalies, particularly those relating to wage payment. According to Gopal, fresh job cards were not being issued despite submission of applications. Also, in some villages, government personnel were charging around Rs 50

for a job card. A social audit in several places showed that record job cards were issued in August 2006, but till date these had not been distributed. In many villages, job cards were still lying with field assistants or village secretaries. Besides, poor hamlets were not receiving the desired attention, Gopal alleged. There were also reports that wages paid for bush clearance, planting of saplings and watering of plants were extremely low, at around Rs 30. The standard schedule of rate for wages, therefore, needed to be enhanced, Gopal said. In summer, wages need to be revised, particularly for works on feeder channels, ponds and bush clearance. In case of de-silting of tanks, work by women carrying load to a considerable distance was not factored in for payment. Only the load carrying by bullock carts and tractors to a distance of 40 metre was being factored in. Also, NREGA

workers were not receiving full wages as banks were deducting 2% service charges, he said. "Paying the salary of the field assistants as NREGA wage contravenes the law," Gopal added. In a book on implementation of NREGA, Capturing Imagination of Stakeholders, by Gopal, former secretary to late Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao, Venugopal Rao has also suggested implementation of ‘living wages’ as per the Constitution, instead of minimum wages. ‘‘The transfer of resources being done for housing completely contravenes the state guidelines. There is no muster roll and a lumpsum transfer is made to the household and not to the worker. This goes against the provision of the Act. Housing is not included in the shelf of the works approved under the Act,’’ Gopal said in his letter. He said that in most districts tools for work were not provided let alone the amount payable for its maintenance. He suggested

setting up crèches near the place of women’s work where milk, biscuits and bread should be provided to children. The data relating to issuance of job cards and payment slips and work sites should be posted on the website in Telegu. ------------------------------ RURAL EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMME ‘Schemes not enough to shape dreams’ : Planning Commission http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=159325 ASHOK B SHARMAPosted online : Thursday, March 29, 2007 at 0000 hours IST NEW DELHI, MAR 28: The Planning Commission is of the view that no single scheme of the government alone can liberate

people from the low-end poverty. There is a need for re-designing the welfare schemes and process of the implementation and arriving at convergence for better delivery. Jharkhand, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Orissa and Bundelkhand Uttar Pradesh need adequate focus. “Do not expect that all the basic needs of the poor would be covered under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA). Social mobilisation and convergence of people’s rights can considerably help in the process. Our experience shows that self-help groups (SHGs) have led to empowerment of the people, particularly the women,” said Planning Commission member BN Yughandar. Speaking at the occasion of the release of the book—Capturing Imagination of Stakeholders—authored by KS Gopal, Yughandar said there has been cruel dilution of employment assurance schemes in which the concept has shifted from “demand-driven” to that of allocation and from

“worker-driven” to that of “patronage-driven”. Hence schemes should be re-designed and their implementation finetuned. Yugandhar that state and central governments have done nothing to ensure the fundamental right to elementary education for children (within age group 6-14 years) under the Article 21 A of the Constitution. Nothing has been done to ensure nutrition, health and protection of children within the age group 0-6 years. The government’s Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) has failed to provide child care, he said and urged the central and state governments to bring in appropriate legislations to address the problems. Commenting on Sarva Siksha Abhiyan, he said : “It is a fraud on Article 21 A. It does not speak of elementary education. The finance minister, P Chidambaran should allocate Rs 14 lakh for wide coverage of ICDS as per the decision of the Supreme Court. The finance minister has allocated only Rs one lakh for

ICDS in the current Budget.” Releasing book noted economist, Jean Dreze said “though on the whole the results of NREGA scheme has not been encouraging, it has worked well in certain places like Dungapur in Rajasthan, Parbani in Maharashtra, North Cachar hills in Assam and in parts of Maharashtra.” Former government official, KR Venugopal urged the Plan panel to construct living wage concept and timely payment of wages. The CPM leader Sitaram Yechury urged that NREGA scheme should be implemented as a continuing public works programme. --------------------------------

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