LAHORE, June 11: Unscrupulous use of pesticides for vegetables across the Punjab poses a serious threat to humans, according to an official study.

Instead of using soft pesticides with a residual level up to 48 to 96 hours, the vegetable growers are using hard pesticides for vegetables and their effects last for months, it says.

Even soft pesticides should be applied with great care and vegetables must not be sold before de-activation of the residue, as consumption of such vegetables could cause stomach diseases and even cancer.

The research reveals that pesticides are more often applied on brinjal. As many as 12 different pesticides are being used on it, in addition to 12 sprays; the interval between two is between seven and 15 days. Similarly, tomato is sold after spray of some broad-spectrum pesticides. The number of sprays on it are as high as 10.

Application of various mixtures on vegetables has been identified as the most dangerous thing for people. Growers tend to mix three to four pesticides and spray those for better results.

According to the findings, another dangerous trend is dipping of harvested vegetables in mixtures of pesticides. Farmers are using this technique to make vegetables shine and free from any pest, believing that specially treated vegetables fetch better prices.

Australia and other European countries have banned Endosulfan, which is now largely used on vegetables here. This pesticide, says the study, is being used by cotton growers in some of the developed countries under strict vigilance.

Food experts have advised people to wash fruits and vegetables with tap water before eating or storing. Extra leaves should be wasted before use to minimize the risk.

When contacted, a Punjab Agriculture Department official said the government was monitoring the situation. He said the farmers were being forced to use only soft pesticides and advised to apply integrated pest management techniques in order to reduce their use.

A laboratory was being set up at a cost of Rs100 million to analyze pesticide effects on fruits and vegetables. It would be first of its kind in the Punjab, he added.