Jatropha harmful for kids, soil and aquatic life: scientist
May 8th, 2008 - 11:55 am ICT by admin ( 3 comments )By Sujeet Kumar
Raipur, May 8 (IANS) The jatropha plant, a rich source of bio-fuel that is being grown on a large scale in Chhattisgarh, can harm the soil and aquatic life, cause skin cancer and even affect the brain of children if accidentally consumed, claims a scientist. “Researchers found in 1987 itself that jatropha oil contains tumour-promoting substances,” Pankaj Oudhia, a Raipur-based agricultural scientist, told IANS.
“People across the world know that jatropha oil is harmful for the skin. This is the reason why it is also known as ‘Hell oil’,” said Oudhia, who has done extensive research on jatropha.
“Unfortunately, jatropha seeds are liked by children and cases of accidental feeding have been reported from several countries. In the past few months, hundreds of cases have been reported from different parts of India. In Meerut (in Uttar Pradesh), over 50 children were recently hospitalised due to jatropha poisoning,” the scientist said.
“The ongoing large-scale jatropha plantation is becoming a curse for rural children. Two of its seeds are like a strong purgative. Four to five seeds can cause death,” warned Oudhia, who is also affiliated to the Medicinal Plant Working Group, North America.
Jatropha is considered a wonder plant that produces seeds with an oil content of 37 percent. The oil can be combusted as fuel without being refined. Experts say jatropha is a hardy plant, which can also be grown in wastelands.
Several Indian states have been cultivating jatropha on a mass-scale to extract bio-diesel to replace high cost fossil fuel. Chhattisgarh has planted about 400 million saplings in wastelands over the last couple of years, said S.K. Shukla, executive director of Chhattisgarh Bio-fuel Development Authority.
According to Oudhia, the plant has negative effects on the soil, flora and fauna as well.
“Jatropha is a poisonous weed and is harmful for soil, especially in the case of monoculture. Research has shown that jatropha has harmful effects on Indian crops like pigeon pea. Large-scale plantation may also have a negative impact on soil,” he cautioned.
“Jatropha monoculture has been termed as a future natural disaster by environmentalists.”
Oudhia added that the wastelands where jatropha plantation is in progress in several Indian states supports billions of micro-flora and fauna. And if they were harmed, it would have a negative impact on the ecosystem.
“Many Indian states are planting jatropha in school compounds and near human population. An increasing number of accidental feeding cases indicate that planners have failed to make people aware about its toxicity,” he pointed out.
The scientist said that planting jatropha near water sources was hazardous for indigenous fish species too.
Oudhia said that the fumes of jatropha seed oil could also be unsafe for inhaling. “Chhattisgarh villagers use jatropha oil fumes as insect repellent and always cover their nose to avoid inhalation,” he said.
“Jatropha planners claim that the fumes are safe but there is no scientific study available on this aspect. There is a need for long-term studies on its impact on human beings, livestock and plants before giving the green signal for its large scale plantation and use as bio-diesel,” he stressed.
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- Six kids eat jatropha seeds, critically ill - Jan 02, 2010
- Chinese plane flies on biofuel - Oct 28, 2011
- Indian company in Ethiopia for bio-fuel production - Dec 07, 2009
- Centre initiates research on second generation bio-fuels - Mar 12, 2010
- Successful biofuel flight conducted in Mexico - Apr 03, 2011
- Jatropha holds potential for sustainable aviation fuel - Apr 04, 2011
- 22 children hospitalised after consuming jatropha seeds - Jan 01, 2009
- Jatropha holds potential to be sustainable aviation fuel (Lead) - Apr 04, 2011
- India approves new policy to promote biofuels - Dec 24, 2009
- Bio-fuel not at cost of food security: FAO - Oct 04, 2011
- HPCL to set up Rs.4 bn jatropha farm in Chhattisgarh - Jul 14, 2008
Tags: agricultural scientist, bio diesel, bio fuel, cause skin cancer, flora and fauna, fossil fuel, fuel development, group north america, indian states, jatropha plant, jatropha seeds, life scientist, mass scale, medicinal plant, meerut, oil content, poisonous weed, purgative, scientist researchers, soil flora
May 8th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
Jatropha Curcas is harmful almost exactly the same way diesel is if you eat it you get sick. If you bathe in it it irritates your skin. Perhaps the only difference is that Jatropha is significantly better for the environment than diesel. All that needs to happen here is for more care to be taken when handling it. If a cild were to walk up to a petrol pump and drink a month full of diesel would anyone be blaming diesel itself? Of course not, that would be just as ridiculous as Pankaj Oudhia’s statement. The scurge of children what a bad joke that is. Jatropha has the power to save Indian children.
May 8th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
Dear Sir,
This does not look to be a scientific presentation and rather looks to be a generic statement covering many aspects of Jatropha cultivation.If a scientist present such information,it should be done atleast by some experience and not by collecting data from various sources.Please desist such articles as authored by a scientist.It will bring a bad name to Scientists who are really working on many aspects of Jatroha.
Thanks
September 21st, 2009 at 8:30 am
“The scientist said that planting jatropha near water sources was hazardous for indigenous fish species too.”
> anyone can safely say that planting anything near a water source will have negative effects on wildlife; most obvious by polluting environment w/ runoff from fertilization and by products from human activities.
” “Jatropha is a poisonous weed and is harmful for soil, especially in the case of monoculture. Research has shown that jatropha has harmful effects on Indian crops like pigeon pea. Large-scale plantation may also have a negative impact on soil,” he cautioned.”
> it is obvious to all that any type of monoculture practice has lasting-harmful effects. perhaps the science community can be specific about the effects and propose a few feasible solutions such as using native spp. to break down foreign chemicals, grafting import into local spp roots to lessen the soil structure effects, or an integraded-farming formula- a compromised bi-om model,etc.
“…cause skin cancer..”
> stay out door too long in the sun would cause cancer! should we suggest, NO recommend, or stronger measure REQUIRE plantation owners to provide vegetable oil for workers? few drops rub on hand will prevent toxic sab to absorb through the skin while harvesting seeds; hand wash and re-apply vege-oil every 2 hours to prevent sap build up. can that be a solution till more data can be analyze and a permanent solution can be propose?
“…negative effects on the soil, flora & fauna…”
> it’s like someone saying that I’m a “BAD” person! of course I’m a “BAD” person, in some areas. I’m “SO SO” in some other areas. and I’m “GREAT” in few areas! But what do I decide to about those “BAD” aspect of myself to improve them is the question. how do I do it is the other question. can you show the farmers how to restore 5, 10 , 20 native spp. using an integrated system within the plantation to start, then help them monitor the land to see the recovery progress? can you show them how to earn some extra income / grow they own food while doing this?
> perhaps, it’s time for the scientists to stop being critics and become scientist, teacher, productive members of the society. No critic / insult intended.
ben