Increasing menace of insecticides.... Sikkim & Darjeeling tea gardens suffer attacks

Santanu Basu, EOIC, Siliguri, 16 Oct 2013: The ecstatic charm of Sikkim and Darjeeling Himalayas is enhanced through endless greenery and tea bushes; While tea garden enchants the tourists, green Himalayan rhododendron of Sikkim charms the indigenous people of Sikkim Himalayas. Tea, tourism, timber are the catchwords or buzzword in Sikkim and Darjeeling Himalayas. In fact all are intertwined and interdependent attracting people across the country.

But the tea bushes are mired with multifarious problems triggering problems in timber and affecting the tourism in the Himalayas. One researcher Mrs. Shanta Bhattachayarya noted that few months back, residents in North Bengal University campus spotted a dead Yellow feeted Pigeon; it was revealed after investigation that the stomach of the dead bird contained the residue of insecticides beyond permissible limit.

Senseless deforestation in Dooars, Terrain and in the hills particularly in Sikkim Himalayas, Bhutan and Darjeeling Himalayas have dealt a virtual death blow upon the ecology of the tea gardens and the Himalayas. The scientists, ecologists have expressed grave concern over the menace of increasing deforestation in North Bengal and the journalists wrote reams on the baneful impact of feeling of trees, still the destructive spree remained unabated inviting disaster in the geography of this region. Noteworthy, many noted film directors made several films upon the destruction of greenery ruining the serene and salubrious climate of North Bengal, but scenario continued to remain grim. In conservation of greenery which would ultimately reduce the impact of global warming, the management of Tea gardens could act as a deterrent of such endless destruction, but in reality it play a reverse role. The gardens, for enhancing the quantum of profit indulge wanton spraying of lethal insecticides and herbicides ignoring systematically the permissible limit stipulated by the Pollution control Boards and different scientific agencies. The indiscriminate application of the pesticides in complete defiance of norms set by the concerned manufacturing units, aggravate the problems of pollution which ultimately shatter the ecologiocal balances breaking natural food chains bringing a catastrophic situation.

Some five years back, different NGOS have surveyed upon the negative impact of spraying insecticides in the gardens; To its dismay it found huge residue of insecticides in different rivers meandering the Himalayan tea gardens affecting rivers, water bodies and marine lives.; The wild use of insecticides have accelerated the extinction of hundred species of avians and mankind are worst affected; the Tea garden labourers fall victim into different skin cancers and other ailments.  From vultures to millipede – all face the possibility of wiping out.

Tea is cheapest health drink which stimulates both mind and health; two organic enzymes namely – Caffin and Tannin stimulate our body. Also there is poly phenol -- an organic chemical which is incensed inviting different insects in larger numbers. Sometimes, the attacks of insects rise to such an extent that the yield could be reduced by 17- 20 %. Researchers could identify nearly 300 species of insects attacking the tea leaves. Loopier, Red slag, Heleopeltis, Red Spider are some insects that could cause havoc to the leaves. Such identifiable insects apart, other species could bring substantial loss to tea yield.

It was proved time and again that the garden management indulge wanton application of insecticides resulting serious residues in tea leaves and dust tea; Such detection dented the fame of North Bengal tea across the global market; The tea growers also lost a bigger Russian markets and different export agreements were cancelled as a result of it. The EU adheres a strict residue limit in tea which the Indian tea could not pass the parameter.

The Union Commerce and Industry ministry have set the permissible limit   in the residue of the insecticides in 2005; Since ‘70s the Indian Tea Research Association conducted the harmful impact of the insecticides upon human lives; Prior to 1970, it has witnessed the unbridled application of insecticides in tea gardens. This Association had made remarkable strides in Vegetative Propagation through which grafting of tea plants, nutrition of the plants and other activities are undertaken. It also invented machines for production of dust tea in Darjeeling and Sikkim Himalayas. It categorically emphasized for organic controlling of the insecticides for removing the poisonous impact of chemical insecticides. Gradually, it discovered bio organic insecticides and fungicides. Foramen traps, light traps, natural predators with the same aim. Some of the natural and organic bio insecticides were duly emphasized y different scientic agencies and eco friendly organizations to keep the residue of pesticides with safe and permissible limits.

Margosa  organic;  Triterponoid  , Meliantrol , Nimbi din, Ajar tin are some organic elements derived from the seeds of margosa , if applied to tea leaves , the results would be beneficial for human body; Natural enemy: Scientist have found certain insects considered bio friendly capable to destroy the harmful insects of the tea leaves. Phytoseiulus   persimillis can kill Red spider of tea leaves; another species known as lady bird can also kill affid and another mite.

Foramen Trap: It is a kind of incensed chemical attracting insects of opposite sex; Different caterpillars like Loopier, bunch, Red caterpillars are trapped by Foramen.

Light trap: The trap can be made by ordinary 40 watts tube lights and are placed 1.25 meters above the tea plants. Water containers or containers with sticky substances are kept below the tube lights which if used consecutively, the flow of insects are reduced considerably.

But all such natural ways of restricting the attacks of insects have, however, a limited success; it may yield negligible results in vast stretches of crop fields. Foramen trap or light trap may not be effective under incessant rainfall or scorching heat. Moreover, such methods are not cost effective in countering the menace of insects.

However, Scientists must emphasize on the need for natural way of containing the insects. Plantation of margosa trees in the garden area may reduce the chance of insects foraying. Earlier, the Brtishers , considering medicinal values of margosa, planted huge numbers of it in the vicinity of their Bunglows and in the fields ; but now days , country’s tea garden owners  consider plantation of margosa as wastage of space. In the mean time North Bengal tea are losing markets abroad.  The following are generally used in the tea gardens of North Bengal.