Lok Sabha Question No. 378 (STARRED), answered on 2017-03-28
Subject: Use of Banned Pesticides
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: RAYAPATI SAMBASIVA RAO, ANTO  ANTONY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION & FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 378

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 28 TH  MARCH, 2017

## USE OF BANNED PESTICIDES

- *378.    SHRI RAYAPATI SAMBASIVA RAO: SHRI ANTO ANTONY:

Will  the  Minister  of  AGRICULTURE  AND  FARMERS  WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण ½ãâ¨ããè be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the pesticides which are harmful to human health, livestocks and environment still in use, though banned in countries abroad;

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- (b) whether the  Environment  Protection  Agency  (EPA)  of  USA  has  cautioned  that India has to take stock of the pesticides under use and ensure that they are replaced by less hazardous products and adopt better integrated pest management approaches and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether despite the ban on use of Endosulfan by the Government, it is still widely used in cultivation and if so, the details thereof along with the steps being taken to ban it completely;
- (d) whether the Insecticides Act of 1968 recommends restricted use of Endosulfan and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the  details  of  the  mechanism  put  in  place  to  interact  with  manufacturers, importers  and  State  authorities  on  harmful  pesticides  and  the  steps  taken  by  the Government to ban the use of harmful pesticides/fertilizers in the country?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण ½ãâ¨ããè (SHRI RADHA MOHAN SINGH)

## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (e)  OF  LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.  378  DUE FOR REPLY ON 28 TH  MARCH, 2017.

- (a): The Registration Committee (RC) constituted under Section 5 of the Insecticides Act, 1968  registers  pesticides  after  considering  their  efficacy  and  safety  to  human  beings, animals and environment. In addition, technical reviews are carried out from time to time to assess the safety of pesticides for their continued use. An expert committee was constituted in July 2013, to review 66 pesticides which are either banned or restricted in one or more countries of the world but continued to be registered in India. The details are at Annexure I.
- (b): In this regard, the Registration Committee has not received any communication from Environment  Protection  Agency  (EPA)  of  USA.  However,  the  Government  is  popularizing Integrated  Pest  Management  (IPM)  approach  under  'Strengthening  and  Modernization  of Pest Management Approach in India' (SMPMA) Scheme.  The scheme seeks to promote cultural, mechanical and biological methods of pest control and recommends judicious and safe use of chemical pesticides as a measure of last resort.
- (c): The  Hon'ble  Supreme  Court  passed  an  ad-interim  order  on  13.05.2011  banning production,  sale  and  use  of  Endosulfan  in  the  country  till  further  orders.  Accordingly,  the Central  Government  issued  instructions  to  all  the  State  Governments/Union  Territory Administrations to implement the interim order of the Court in toto, which are binding on all manufacturers.  The Secretariat of Central Insecticides Board & Registration Committee has written  to  the  Pesticide  Associations  to  recall  Certificates  of  Registration  for  Endosulfan. These certificates are deemed to have been treated as withdrawn in compliance with  the ad-interim orders passed by the  Hon'ble Supreme Court.
- (d): No, However, the Central Government in compliance to the aforesaid direction of the Hon'ble  Supreme  Court  has  imposed  ban  on  production,  use  and  sale  of  Endosulfan pesticide in the country.

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(e): The Ministry of Agriculture and Famers' Welfare convenes meeting with manufacturers and importers regularly to review critical issues pertaining to the Pesticides Industry. In addition, Zonal Conferences on Inputs and National Agriculture Conference are organized bi-annually with the State Governments  to  review, inter alia, monitoring mechanism  to  ensure  quality  of  the  pesticides.  Technical  reviews  of  the  registered pesticides  are  carried  out  from  time  to  time  to  assess  the  safety  of  pesticides  for  their continued  use.  Based  on  this,  the  Central  Government  has  banned/restricted  certain pesticides/insecticides for use in the country. The details are at Annexure II. In July 2013, an  Expert  Committee  was  constituted  under  the  chairmanship  of  Dr.  Anupam  Verma, Former National Professor, IARI, New Delhi to review 66 pesticides which are either banned or restricted in one or more countries of the world but continued to be registered in India. Considering the recommendations of the Expert Committee as accorded by the Registration Committee, the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, vide its Notification S.O. 4212(E) dated 15 th December 2016, has invited objections and suggestions from the public/stakeholders  on  banning/phasing  out  of  certain  pesticides.  The  details  are  at Annexure III.

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## ANNEXURE -I

## LIST  OF  PESTICIDES  WHICH  HAVE  BEEN  BANNED/  RESTRICTED  IN  ONE  OR MORE COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD BUT CONTINUED TO BE REGISTERED IN INDIA.

|   Sl. No. | Name of the Pesticide                          |    |                     |
|-----------|------------------------------------------------|----|---------------------|
|         1 | Acephate                                       | 41 | Mancozeb            |
|         2 | Alachlor                                       | 42 | Mepiquat Chloride   |
|         3 | Aluminum Phosphide                             | 43 | Metaldehyde         |
|         4 | Atrazine                                       | 44 | Monocrotophos       |
|         5 | Benfuracarb                                    | 45 | Oxyflurofen         |
|         6 | Benomyl                                        | 46 | Paraquat Dichloride |
|         7 | Bifenthrin                                     | 47 | Pendimethalin       |
|         8 | Butachlor                                      | 48 | Phorate             |
|         9 | Captan                                         | 49 | Phosphomidon        |
|        10 | Carbaryl                                       | 50 | Peitilachlor        |
|        11 | Carbendazim                                    | 51 | Propargite          |
|        12 | Carbofuran                                     | 52 | Propineb            |
|        13 | Chlorfenapyr                                   | 53 | Quinalphos          |
|        14 | Carbosulfan                                    | 54 | Sodium cyanide      |
|        15 | Chlorothalonil                                 | 55 | Sulfosulfurone      |
|        16 | Chlorpyriphos                                  | 56 | Thiodecarb          |
|        17 | DDT                                            | 57 | Thiometon           |
|        18 | Dezomet                                        | 58 | Thiphanate Methyl   |
|        19 | Deltamethrin                                   | 59 | Thiram              |
|        20 | Diazinon                                       | 60 | Triazophos          |
|        21 | Dichlorovos                                    | 61 | Trichlorofon        |
|        22 | Dicofol                                        | 62 | Tridemorph          |
|        23 | Diflubenzuron                                  | 63 | Trifluralin         |
|        24 | Dimethoate                                     | 64 | Zinc Phosphide      |
|        25 | Dinocap                                        | 65 | Zineb               |
|        26 | Diuron                                         | 66 | Ziram               |
|        27 | Endusulfan ( Supreme Court has banned its use) |    |                     |
|        28 | Ethofenprox                                    |    |                     |
|        29 | Fenpropathrin                                  |    |                     |
|        30 | Fenarimol                                      |    |                     |
|        31 | Fenitrothion                                   |    |                     |
|        32 | Fenthion                                       |    |                     |
|        33 | Iprodione                                      |    |                     |
|        34 | 2,4-D                                          |    |                     |
|        35 | Kasugamycin                                    |    |                     |
|        36 | Linuron                                        |    |                     |
|        37 | Methomyl                                       |    |                     |
|        38 | Methoxy Ethyl Mercury Chloride                 |    |                     |
|        39 | Methyl Parathion                               |    |                     |
|        40 | Malathion                                      |    |                     |

## LIST OF PESTICIDES WHICH ARE BANNED, REFUSED REGISTRATION AND RESTRICTED IN USE

## I.  PESTICIDES / FORMULATIONS BANNED IN INDIA

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|   Pesticides Banned for manufacture, import and use . | Pesticides Banned for manufacture, import and use .   | Pesticides Banned for manufacture, import and use .   | Pesticides Banned for manufacture, import and use .                                       | Pesticides Banned for manufacture, import and use .                                       | Pesticides Banned for manufacture, import and use .                                       | Pesticides Banned for manufacture, import and use .                                       |
|-------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|                                                     1 | Aldicarb                                              |                                                       | 22.                                                                                       | Pentachloro Nitrobenzene (PCNB)                                                           | Pentachloro Nitrobenzene (PCNB)                                                           |                                                                                           |
|                                                     2 | Aldrin                                                |                                                       | 23.                                                                                       | Pentachlorophenol                                                                         | Pentachlorophenol                                                                         |                                                                                           |
|                                                     3 | Benzene Hexachloride                                  |                                                       | 24.                                                                                       | Phenyl Mercury Acetate                                                                    | Phenyl Mercury Acetate                                                                    |                                                                                           |
|                                                     4 | Calcium Cyanide                                       |                                                       | 25.                                                                                       | Sodium Methane Arsonate                                                                   | Sodium Methane Arsonate                                                                   |                                                                                           |
|                                                     5 | Chlorbenzilate                                        |                                                       | 26.                                                                                       | Tetradifon                                                                                | Tetradifon                                                                                |                                                                                           |
|                                                     6 | Chlordane                                             |                                                       | 27.                                                                                       | Toxaphene(Camphechlor)                                                                    | Toxaphene(Camphechlor)                                                                    |                                                                                           |
|                                                     7 | Chlorofenvinphos                                      |                                                       | 28.                                                                                       | Trichloro acetic acid (TCA)                                                               | Trichloro acetic acid (TCA)                                                               |                                                                                           |
|                                                     8 | Copper Acetoarsenite                                  | B.                                                    | Pesticide formulations banned manufacture and use                                         | Pesticide formulations banned manufacture and use                                         | Pesticide formulations banned manufacture and use                                         | for import,                                                                               |
|                                                     9 | Dibromochloropropane                                  |                                                       | 1.                                                                                        | Carbofuron 50% SP                                                                         | Carbofuron 50% SP                                                                         |                                                                                           |
|                                                    10 | Dieldrin                                              |                                                       | 2.                                                                                        | Methomyl 12.5% L                                                                          | Methomyl 12.5% L                                                                          |                                                                                           |
|                                                    11 | Endrin                                                |                                                       | 3.                                                                                        | Methomyl 24% formulation                                                                  | Methomyl 24% formulation                                                                  |                                                                                           |
|                                                    12 | Ethyl Mercury Chloride                                |                                                       | 4.                                                                                        | Phosphamidon 85% SL                                                                       | Phosphamidon 85% SL                                                                       |                                                                                           |
|                                                    13 | Ethyl Parathion                                       | C.                                                    | Pesticide / Pesticide formulations banned for use but continued to manufacture for export | Pesticide / Pesticide formulations banned for use but continued to manufacture for export | Pesticide / Pesticide formulations banned for use but continued to manufacture for export | Pesticide / Pesticide formulations banned for use but continued to manufacture for export |
|                                                    14 | Ethylene Dibromide (EDB)                              |                                                       | 1.                                                                                        | Captafol 80% Powder                                                                       | Captafol 80% Powder                                                                       | Captafol 80% Powder                                                                       |
|                                                    15 | Heptachlor                                            |                                                       | 2.                                                                                        | Nicotin Sulfate                                                                           | Nicotin Sulfate                                                                           | Nicotin Sulfate                                                                           |
|                                                    16 | Lindane (Gamma- HCH)                                  | D.                                                    | Pesticides Withdrawn                                                                      | Pesticides Withdrawn                                                                      | Pesticides Withdrawn                                                                      | Pesticides Withdrawn                                                                      |
|                                                    17 | Maleic Hydrazide                                      |                                                       | 1.                                                                                        | Dalapon                                                                                   | 6.                                                                                        | Simazine                                                                                  |
|                                                    18 | Menazon                                               |                                                       | 2.                                                                                        | Ferbam                                                                                    | 7.                                                                                        | Sirmate                                                                                   |
|                                                    19 | Metoxuron                                             |                                                       | 3.                                                                                        | Formothion                                                                                | 8.                                                                                        | Warfarin                                                                                  |
|                                                    20 | Nitrofen                                              |                                                       | 4.                                                                                        | Nickel Chloride                                                                           |                                                                                           |                                                                                           |
|                                                    21 | Paraquat Dimethyl Sulphate                            |                                                       | 5.                                                                                        | Paradichlorobenzene                                                                       |                                                                                           |                                                                                           |

## II. PESTICIDES REFUSED REGISTRATION

|   S.No. | Name of Pesticides         |   Name of Pesticides | Name of Pesticides       |
|---------|----------------------------|----------------------|--------------------------|
|       1 | 2,4, 5-T                   |                   10 | EPN                      |
|       2 | Ammonium Sulphamate        |                   11 | Fentin Acetate           |
|       3 | Azinphos Ethyl             |                   12 | Fentin Hydroxide         |
|       4 | Azinphos Methyl            |                   13 | Lead Arsenate            |
|       5 | Binapacryl                 |                   14 | Leptophos (Phosvel)      |
|       6 | Calcium Arsenate           |                   15 | Mephosfolan              |
|       7 | Carbophenothion            |                   16 | Mevinphos (Phosdrin)     |
|       8 | Chinomethionate (Morestan) |                   17 | Thiodemeton / Disulfoton |
|       9 | Dicrotophos                |                   18 | Vamidothion              |

## III. PESTICIDES RESTRICTED FOR USE IN THE COUNTRY

|   S.No. | Name of Pesticides   | Details of Restrictions                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
|---------|----------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|       1 | Aluminium Phosphide  | The Pest Control Operations with Aluminium Phosphide may be undertaken only by Govt./Govt. undertakings / Govt. Organizations / pest control operators under the strict supervision of Govt. Experts or experts whose expertise is approved by the Plant Protection Advisor to Govt. of India except 1 Aluminium Phosphide 15 %12 g tablet and 2 Aluminum Phosphide 6 %tablet. [RC decision circular F No. 14-11(2)-CIR-II (Vol. II) dated 21-09-1984 and G.S.R. 371(E) dated 20 th may 1999]. 1 Decision of 282 nd RC held on 02-11- 2007 and, 2 Decision of 326 th RC held on 15-02- 2012. The production, marketing and use of Aluminium Phosphide tube packs with a capacity of 10 and 20 tablets of 3 g each of Aluminium Phosphide are banned completely. (S.O.677 (E) dated 17 th July, 2001) |
|       2 | Captafol             | The use of Captafol as foliar spray is banned. Captafol shall be used only as seed dresser. (S.O.569 (E) dated 25 th July, 1989) The manufacture of Captafol 80 %powder for dry seed treatment (DS) is banned for use in the country except manufacture for export. (S.O.679 (E) dated 17 th July, 2001)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |

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|   3. | Cypermethrin                            | Cypermethrin 3 %Smoke Generator, is to be used only through Pest Control Operators and not allowed to be used by the General Public. [Order of Hon,ble High Court of Delhi in WP(C) 10052 of 2009 dated 14-07-2009 and LPA-429/2009 dated 08-09-2009]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
|------|-----------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|    4 | Dazomet                                 | The use of Dazomet is not permitted on Tea. (S.O.3006 (E) dated 31 st Dec, 2008)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|    5 | Diazinon                                | Diazinon is banned for use in agriculture except for household use. (S.O.45 (E) dated 08 th Jan, 2008)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|    6 | Dichloro Diphenyl Trichloroethane (DDT) | The use of DDT for the domestic Public Health Programme is restricted up to 10,000 Metric Tonnes per annum, except in case of any major outbreak of epidemic. M/s Hindustan Insecticides Ltd., the sole manufacturer of DDT in the country may manufacture DDT for export to other countries for use in vector control for public health purpose. The export of DDT to Parties and State non-Parties shall be strictly in accordance with the paragraph 2(b) article 3 of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). (S.O.295 (E) dated 8 th March, 2006) Use of DDT in Agriculture is withdrawn. In very special circumstances warranting the use of DDT for plant protection work, the state or central Govt. may purchase it directly from M/s Hindustan Insecticides Ltd. to be used under expert Governmental supervision. (S.O.378 (E) dated 26 th May, 1989) |
|    7 | Fenitrothion                            | The use of Fenitrothion is banned in Agriculture except for locust control in scheduled desert area and public health. (S.O.706 (E) dated 03 rd May, 2007)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
|    8 | Fenthion                                | The use of Fenthion is banned in Agriculture except for locust control, household and public health. (S.O.46 (E) dated 08 th Jan, 2008)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|    9 | Methoxy Ethyl Mercuric Chloride (MEMC)  | The use of MEMC is banned completely except for seed treatment of potato and sugarcane. (S.O.681 (E) dated 17 th July, 2001)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
|   10 | Methyl Bromide                          | Methyl Bromide may be used only by Govt./Govt. undertakings/Govt. Organizations / Pest control operators under the strict supervision of Govt. Experts or Experts whose expertise is approved by the Plant Protection Advisor to Govt. of India. [G.S.R.371 (E) dated 20 th May, 1999 and earlier RC decision]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |

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|   11. | Methyl Parathion   | Methyl Parathion 50 %ECand 2% DP formulations are banned for use on fruits and vegetables. (S.O.680 (E) dated 17 th July, 2001) The use of Methyl Parathion is permitted only on those crops approved by the Registration Committee where honeybees are not acting as a pollinators. (S.O.658 (E) dated 04 th Sep., 1992.)   |
|-------|--------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|    12 | Monocrotophos      | Monocrotophos is banned for use on vegetables. (S.O.1482 (E) dated 10 th Oct, 2005)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
|    13 | Sodium Cyanide     | The use of Sodium Cyanide shall be restricted for Fumigation of Cotton bales under expert supervision approved by the Plant Protection Advisor to Govt. of India. (S.O.569(E) dated 25 th July, 1989)                                                                                                                        |

ANNEXURE III

NAMES OF THE PESTICIDES IN THE NOTIFICATION S.O.4212 (E)

|   S.No. | Name             |
|---------|------------------|
|       1 | Benomyl          |
|       2 | Carbaryl         |
|       3 | Diazinon         |
|       4 | Fenarimol        |
|       5 | Fenthion         |
|       6 | Linuron          |
|       7 | MEMC             |
|       8 | Methyl Parathion |
|       9 | Sodium Cyanide   |
|      10 | Thiometon        |
|      11 | Tridemorph       |
|      12 | Trifluralin      |
|      13 | Alachlor         |
|      14 | Dichlorvos       |
|      15 | Phorate,         |
|      16 | Phosphamidon     |
|      17 | Triazophos       |
|      18 | Trichlorfon      |

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