Jind soil lacks necessary nutrients, people falling sick Overdose of pesticides to increase productivity has not only created serious health problems for humans, but has also destroyed the health of the soil. During the past one year, the Jind Soil Testing Lab received 9,400 samples of sand, but all failed as these did not have the much-required nutrients. Sources said there are total 16 nutrients which help farmers get a bumper crop. Out of these, the crop receives three- carbon, hydrogen and oxygen- from water and air while the remaining 13 come from healthy sand. Till a few years back, sand in Jind district lacked only two nutrients, nitrogen and phosphorus. But during the past one year, samples received from various parts of the district have shown that level of other nutrients like potash, calcium, magnesium, gypsum, sulfur, zinc and iron etc have also gone down. “We had received total 9,400 samples of sand from the district during the past one year. Not a single sample had the required 13 nutrients and all had deficiencies. Mainly the use of excess pesticides is responsible the damage,” said Sant Kumar, soil testing officer. The deterioration of sand is bound to have a bad effect over the health of humans as both have direct connection. A visit to the local civil hospital showed that use of excessive pesticides had increased the number of people suffering from various diseases. “I and my husband have been facing stomach problems for the past almost two years. Doctors say it is because of unhealthy vegetables. But like many others, we do not have our own land to sow crop. We are forced to use the vegetables with excessive pesticides. The government must take some steps to prevent the excessive use of pesticides,” said 65-year-old Kamala Rani. Another local, Satbir, said medicines had failed to cure his lever infection as he had to eat vegetables grown with use of pesticides. “I am a contractual employee of the government. Medicine is very costly and many times I have to borrow money from my relatives to meet my family needs as I have been spending huge amounts on medicines every month,” he said. Doctors admitted that the overdose of pesticides had created serious health problems in people. “The number of patients suffering from lung, lever, stomach and hormonal problems is on the rise, only because of the excessive use of pesticides,” said senior medical officer of Pillukhera Dr Rajesh Bhola.