Thiruvananthapuram: Six reports on pesticide residues in vegetable samples are pending with Dr P. Indira Devi, director of research at Kerala Agriculture University, Vellanikkara. Moreover, the KAU could not collect samples anew as its budget is yet to get approved, even as another Vishu is here and the demand for vegetable peaks. The agriculture department started ‘Production and Marketing of Safe to Eat Vegetables’ project in 2013, and Prof Thomas Biju Mathew headed the Pesticide Residue Research and Analytical Laboratory (PRRAL) at the college.
Usually, the PRRAL forwards the findings to Ms Devi. Prof Mathew retired after exposing pesticide-laced vegetables hitting the market from across the border. Currently, the three samples each collected from farmers and markets are pending before Dr Devi. “It has been due to red-tapism that there has been a delay in releasing the reports," she said. "After a five-member vetting committee approves it, they will either be released this weekend or early next week.”
The pending reports are for the periods July – Sept, Oct-Dec, and a consolidated one of Jan–Dec 2017. Dr Ambily Paul, assistant professor, All India Network Project on Pesticide Residues, who has since taken over as the PRRAL chief, said there was an apprehension of agriculture department winding up the ‘Safe to Eat’ project’ after her predecessor's retirement. “But fortunately the project is still on," she said. "We will start collecting samples within a month.”
