Use of Endosulfan be allowed for next 2 yrs: Panel to SC
An expert committee today told the Supreme Court that use of pesticide Endosulfan may be allowed for next two years only to exhaust the existing stock and the raw material used for its production.
November 20, 2012 / 21:15 IST
An expert committee today told the Supreme Court that use of pesticide Endosulfan may be allowed for next two years only to exhaust the existing stock and the raw material used for its production. "The Ministry of Agriculture informed that in India, if no further import of raw material is allowed, the existing stock should be depleted within a period of two years after its manufacture.
"Taking into consideration all these facts, the Committee felt that that to exhaust the available stocks of the raw material, manufacture and use of Endosulfan may be permitted for a total period of two years," the report, filed before a bench of justices Swatanter Kumar and Madan B Lokur, said.The recommendations of the expert committee, headed by Indian Council of Medical Research scientist R S Dhaliwal, would now be considered by the court on November 29. The panel, in its report, said, "The manufacturing and marketing companies should be asked to ensure to completely exhaust the available raw material during this period and ensure that that this pesticide is fully utilised in accordance with label claim and good agricultural practices for pest control."The court-appointed committee observed that Endosulfan has "important health hazards/biological effects related to endocrine disruption, carcinogenicity, congenital anomalies and reproductive and neurological abnormalities." The report also said that other pesticides "by nature, are toxic compound" having certain "unwanted effects".The court is hearing a petition filed by Democratic Youth Federation of India that sought a ban on Endosulfan on the ground that it was causing health hazards including genetic disorders.The court, which in May 2011 imposed a temporary ban on production, sale and use of Endosulfan, had asked the expert committee to submit a report on adverse effects of it on human beings and ways to exhaust the existing stock.The court today directed that the copies of report be sent to all state governments. The panel said phasing out the pesticide was the most feasible option as destroying the existing stock would involve huge cost.The committee noted that India is signatory to the Stockholm Convention and Rotterdam Convention and is committed to discontinue use of Endosulfan in next five years. Earlier, the court had pulled up the Centre for not taking a clear stand on banning Endosulfan and appointed an expert committee to submit a report on whether use and manufacture of the pesticide can be stopped forever.It had appointed the committee comprising Director General of Health Services, Member Secretary of Centre Pollution Control Board, two scientists and Joint Secretary of Plant Protection form Agriculture Ministry. It had directed the committee to study various aspects and submit its report within six weeks. It posted the matter for further hearing on November 20.
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