After Telangana teen’s death from paraquat poisoning, doctors and experts push for nationwide ban

HYDERABAD: The death of a 16-year-old girl from Jagtial after allegedly consuming paraquat has reignited demands for a nationwide ban on the highly toxic herbicide.J Surender said his niece consumed the chemical on Feb 22 after facing bullyingrelated stress at school.

“She returned home and consumed it and suffered constant vomiting. We rushed her to a govt hospital, but after eight days of admission, she passed away,” he said.Similar cases were shared by families of T Reddy and A Govardhan on Tuesday at the Indian Medical Association (IMA) Telangana office in Koti, where the medical fraternity, joined by political leaders, called for a nationwide ban on paraquat.Medical experts argued that paraquat should be banned for three key reasons — it has no antidote, it is fatal even in small quantities, and safer alternatives exist.

Doctors from Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS), Gandhi Hospital and Osmania General Hospital said each facility handles around 100–150 paraquat poisoning cases annually. “The situation in districts is similar, or worse, with dozens of cases reported every month and over 10 deaths in farming-dominant areas. Wherever the patient goes — govt or private —the outcome is often grim,” said Dr Mahesh Reddy, president of Doctors Against Paraquat Poison (DAAP).

He said patients may remain hospitalised for weeks, creating false hope among families. “Relatives think the patient is recovering, but the lung damage is irreversible. This poison has no antidote,” he added. Paraquat dichloride, commonly sold at fertiliser shops for Rs 250– Rs 300, is widely used for weed control. Dr T Krupal Singh, head of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology at Gandhi Hospital, said it rapidly damages the kidneys, liver and lungs.

“Dialysis and other treatments have limited impact because the toxin acts directly on cells. The mortality rate is about 90% to 95%,” he said.Dr Gangadhar T, head of Nephrology at NIMS, noted that many victims consume it in moments of distress, unaware of its fatal nature. He flagged accidental exposure. Dr Mahesh cited a Karimnagar case where a child died after mistaking paraquat stored in a soft drink bottle, despite ₹15 lakh spent on treatment.

Doctors said farmers report using paraquat only once or twice a year, mainly to clear bushes, suggesting it is not critical for crop yield.Under the Insecticides Act, 1968, states can impose temporary restrictions of 60 to 90 days. Though banned in 70 countries, including parts of Asia, regulatory action in India has stalled.IMA Telangana president Dr P Kishan and secretary Dr VAshok demanded a complete ban, or strict regulation. “Sales must be licensed, storage under lock and key, purchases Aadhaar-linked, with waiting periods and tighter online monitoring,” Dr Kishan said. Congress MP Kadiyam Kavya, BJP MP Eatala Rajender and BRS MP Vinod Kumar backed the demand. Kavya said she would mobilise at least 50 MPs to push amendments to the law before the Parliamentary health committee.