One of the best things about this documentary is that it does not delve in lengthy introductions or does not make a long-shot-return to the topic. It starts bang on topic and takes it from there. No nonsense, just plainly the core subject of its purpose.
Ramesh Memon’s Slow Poisoning of India talks of the excessive use of chemicals, chiefly pesticides, in Indian farming and how it has led to various issues. It takes us to one particular area in Kerala – Kasaragode where endosulfan was sprayed on the cashew crops aerially without any proper preparation of the villages and the villagers. This resulted in horrifying effects on the population of the area, namely various birth defects like mental retardation, cancer, cerebral palsy, congenital diseases, etc. The chemical affected the central nervous system of other children and villagers as well with some dying due to cancer. The repercussions of that dusting still continue to be witnessed in these villages.
The documentary also talks of farmer suicides due to the cotton crop crisis where due to excessive use of pesticides, the organisms that affected the crop became immune to it and hence destroyed crops in huge proportions. This led to farmer suicides as the farmers could not repay the loan they took for purchasing the pesticides in the first place. The irony is that a lot of farmers use the same pesticides for committing suicides.
The narrator also explains how the excessive use of pesticides is not only deteriorating the soil and water but is also finding its way into our food, which is slowly poisoning us. One of the best solutions for this according to the narrator is the use of herbicides and other organic methods.
Slow Poisoning of India awakens us to a very different and disturbing picture which even though is basic in nature can be very well fatal for many. When we shop for our food, we hardly give a thought to the amount of pesticides and other chemicals it may contain. This documentary educates us about the same in a simple and basic yet effective way.