Chinese-made defoliant suspected in mass poisoning of students in Kashkadarya
Tashkent Times is an English language online-newspaper that brings all latest Uzbekistan news
**Chinese-made defoliant suspected in mass poisoning of students in Kashkadarya**
Sixty-two students from School No. 51 in the Guzor district of Kashkadarya province were hospitalized on September 23 after showing signs of poisoning following the spraying of a chemical on a nearby agricultural field.
By September 25, 33 children were still in hospital, including ten in intensive care, according to parents and teachers.
Parents say the incident took place near School No. 51 in Bakhmal village, which is part of the Yangiobod neighborhood. A road separates the school from the field in question.
According to parents, a tractor was used to spray a chemical agent on the field near the school. It has not yet been officially revealed what substance was used, who ordered the spraying, or whether safety rules were observed during the operation.
One parent said students of different ages were among those hospitalized, including children aged 7, 8, and 11. Parents themselves say they do not know the exact number of children affected.
The parent estimated that about 20 children were being treated in regular wards, while more than ten were in intensive care — figures that have not yet been confirmed by the Ministry of Health.
Parents say the incident happened after an unidentified toxic chemical was sprayed on a cotton field belonging to local farmer Shermat Nafasov in order to defoliate the crop. Attempts to contact the farmer directly were unsuccessful.
One father who did speak with the farmer said Nafasov confirmed that he had planted seeds imported from China and that the defoliant sprayed on the cotton had also been brought from China.
Parents say they have not been given a written final diagnosis for their children.
They also say they have not been told which specific chemical caused the poisoning.
Parents are demanding an investigation into the farmer and the responsible government agencies to determine exactly what substance was sprayed on the field.
An official laboratory result has not yet confirmed that the children’s symptoms were caused by pesticide exposure. No such finding has been made public so far.