More people affected, more severe damage to health: the cases of poisonings by Syngenta’s Polo* in the Indian region of Yavatmal took place on a far larger scale than previously thought. This is shown by exclusively accessed documents, yet the Basel-based agro-chemical firm still sells its highly toxic product in India. As a result, 51 affected families are filing today a specific complaint at the Swiss OECD National Contact Point...

In autumn 2017, hundreds of cotton farmers were severely poisoned by pesticides in the region of Yavatmal in central India. Reports by PAN India and Public Eye documented the context and the consequences. Syngenta categorically denied any responsibility for the health and financial consequences of the events, claiming that there is “absolutely no evidence” that Polo was at all involved in the cases of poisoning...

According to the documents, the police recorded 96 cases of poisoning linked to Syngenta’s pesticide, two of which led to fatalities...

Survivors of the poisoning report that after spraying Polo they suffered severe symptoms. Forty four of the 51 victims, most of whom were hospitalized, reported temporary blindness and 16 people were unconscious for several days. Other symptoms ranged from nausea to breathing difficulties to neurological and muscular complaints, some of which are ongoing today.