THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Among the 260 pesticides in use in India, 56 are carcinogenic and banned in other countries. Of them, 20 clearly harm children causing leukaemia or blood cancer, yet it escapes from the Indian government list of banned pesticides. Statistics indicate that about 50,000 children in Kerala alone are affected by various cancers now, yet the state cannot totally ban pesticides as it falls under the ambit of Central list of the Indian constitution.
