Govt seeks stakeholders' comment to ban 12 pesticides

The government today informed Parliament that it has sought comments from stakeholders on completely banning a dozen pesticides/insecticides and phasing out six of them by 2020.

The Agriculture Ministry has sought views from stakeholders after an expert panel recommended that 13 pesticides /insecticides should be banned completely by 2020.

"The Ministry of Agriculture has issued a notification dated December 15, 2016 inviting objections and suggestions from the stakeholders on completely banning of 12 pesticides/ insecticides and phasing out of 6 pesticides/insecticides," Minister of State for Agriculture Parshottam Rupala said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.

These pesticides include: Benomyl, Carbaryl, Diazinon, Fenarimol, Fenthion, Linuron, MEMC, Methyl Parthion, Sodium Cyanide, Thiometon, Tridemorph, Trifluralin, Alachlor, Dichlorvos, Phorate, Phosphamidon, Triazophos and Trichlorfon.

The panel, which was constituted to carry out a technical review of 66 pesticides that are banned, withdrawn in one or more countries but continued to be registered in India, had recommended banning of 13 pesticides/insecticides and phase out six of them by 2020.

Presently, around 32 pesticides and formulations like Benzene Hexachloride, Nitrofen and Phenyl Mercury Acetate are banned in India, as per the data placed before the house.

Two pesticides/formulations -- captafol (80 per cent powder) and Nicotin Sulfate -- are banned for use in the country but continued to be manufactured for export purpose.

Around 18 pesticides are refused registration in India, while the usage of 13 pesticides are restricted.