BANNING OF PESTICIDES - AGRICULTURE
News: Tamil
Nadu to seek center’s permanent ban on six pesticides for suicide prevention,
says Health Minister
What's in the news?
● With
the State Government issuing an order
banning six hazardous pesticides for a period of 60 days to curb access to
means of suicide, Health Minister Ma. Subramanian said the Department of
Agriculture will seek a permanent ban on the pesticides from the Union Government.
Key takeaways:
● The
Minister said that the three percent
yellow phosphorus (phosphorus paste) which is used as a rodenticide is being
banned permanently in the state. This paste is highly hazardous and toxic.
● A
Government order has been issued banning it permanently. On accepting the
Health Department’s demand, the Agriculture Department has banned the
manufacture, wholesale and retail sale and transportation of rodenticides with
three per cent yellow phosphorus paste in Tamil Nadu as well as in online
sales.
● The
ban is for 60 days, while there is a provision allowing an extension by another
30 days. A permanent ban can be issued by the Union Government.
List of pesticides banned in Tamil Nadu:
The
Agriculture Department has banned six hazardous pesticides such as
● Monocrotophos
● Profenophos
● Acephate
● Profenofos
+ Cypermethrin
● Chlorpyrifos
+ Cypermethrin and
● Chlorpyrifos.
Go back to basics:
● India
currently has a registered list of 295 pesticides & 746 approved
formulations.
● These
pesticides are registered by the Registration
Committee (RC).
● The
Central Insecticides Board (CIB)
acts as an advisory body.
● The
two regulatory bodies are governed by the Insecticides
Act, 1968 & the Insecticides Rules, 1971.
● The
Act & Rules intend to “regulate the import, manufacture, sale, transport,
distribution & use of insecticides with a view to prevent risk to human
beings or animals”.
● Since
its inception, the CIBRC (as they are together called) registers pesticides
upon receiving applications along with efficacy, toxicity, & safety data
from the company.
● The
Ministry of Agriculture has the
authority to cancel registrations & allow continued use or in some cases
even ban the pesticides upon the recommendation of the RC.