RESIDUES OF CHLORPYRIPHOS AND MONOCROTOPHOS IN SOIL AND WATER OF OTTANCHATHARAM BLOCK, INDIAR. JAYASHREE AND A. SUGANTHIAbstract The indiscriminate use of pesticides to meet the demand of growing population led to environmental contamination and consequently health risks. The study was undertaken to assess residue levels in vegetable growing area of Ottanchathiram block of Dindigul District. The study revealed that about 55 per cent the farmers applied 4 kg or less of technical grade pesticides per ha and the remaining 45 per cent used more than 4 kg of active ingredient (a.i)/ ha in chillies and About 87 per cent of cauliflower growers applied pesticides amounting to 4 kg or less of a.i/ha and the remaining applied more than this quantity. The villages, Thasaraipatti, Veeralapatti, Ambilikai, Arasappapillaipatti, Vadakadu, Kosavapatti, Krishnakoundanputhur and Virupachi are intensive vegetable growing areas selected for the pesticide residue analysis. The village Thasaraipatti soil sample recorded maximum amount of Chlorpyriphos residues (5.6 μgkg-1) and Monocrotophos residues (4.5μgkg-1). Residues in water samples ranged from not detectable to 0.5 μgl-1 of Chlorpyriphos and Monocrophos |