Her study reveals a tremendous DNA damage among the farming community of Punjab, who are occupationally exposed to a variety of pesticides.

The study, 'Assessment of genetic damage in workers occupationally exposed to various pesticides in selected districts of Punjab' examined DNA fragmentation from blood cells.

The researcher collected blood samples twice a year between December 2003 and January 2006. The first samples were collected from 210 farmers after a day of intense spraying of pesticides.

In the second sample, 60 workers were selected from the sub-group who showed DNA damage six months after the first samples were taken during a low or no-spraying period in order to determine the frequency of spontaneous DNA repair.

DNA fragmentation was found in 36 per cent of the freshly exposed group in the first sample and among 25 per cent of the 'followed up' cases. The highest DNA damage was found among users of herbicides followed by organophosphates and chlorinated hydrocarbons, said the study.

Factors such as variable duration of exposure, age, smoking, drinking and dietary habits etc., which were expected to modulate the damage, were instead found to have no significant effect on DNA fragmentation.

The researchers observed that less than 10 per cent of the farmers used any kind of protective clothes or equipment and typically handled highly toxic chemicals with bare hands and without masks.

There was complete unawareness of the extreme dangers to which they were exposing themselves. It was even found during the study that pesticide containers were being used afterwards as kitchen containers and vessels.