PANJIM: The increase in the number of suicide cases in Goa due to the consumption of rat poison ratol has raised an alarm over the sale of the pesticide in the open market.
Concern over the sale of ratol was raised even in 2013 in the state legislative Assembly by some MLAs and the then chief minister Manohar Parrikar had even told the House that steps would be taken to curb the sale in the open market. The government had also said it would not be possible to ban the poison but the government could make it difficult to buy it. The government had said that it will ensure that ratol was not available over the counter and was made available only at designated pharmacies.
However, nothing has been done in this order. Also, a ban on ratol would not be accepted by the farmers. Ratol is used to control rats in the farms from destroying the crop.
But, the numbers of people consuming ratol in an attempt to commit suicide has been on the rise. Thirteen cases of suicides have been reported in the last five years in Goa, this includes the high profile case of Nadia Torrado. In the same year (2010), five cases, three deaths were reported in a week’s time during early November. That’s the alarming number of deaths due to ratol consumption reported at government-run Hospicio hospital, showing a surge in cases of ratol consumption as a means to commit suicide.
Dr Salim Veljee, Director of Food and Drug Administration, said the sale is not within the purview of his department as it does not come under the category of food and drugs.
However, Director of Agriculture Ulhas Paik Kakode said that the department gives permission to store and sell it as a pesticide.
He said “though it is known that people are misusing it, that sale in market cannot be banned. “
“It is freely available over the counter and people can purchase the pesticide from stores,” he mentioned.
The case studies have revealed that people are ingesting ratol for all kinds of problems like failure in examinations, botched up love affairs, failure in business, etc.
The then CM Parrikar had said, “We will ensure it is not available over the counter and is available only at designated pharmacies”.
Unfortunately, till now no concrete steps have been initiated by the government to control the sale of the poison which is “silently” killing youngsters in the state every year.
