Lok Sabha Question No. 348 (STARRED), answered on 2018-03-20
Subject: Use of Banned Pesticides
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: A.P. JITHENDER REDDY

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

## LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 348

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 20 TH  MARCH, 2018

## USE OF BANNED PESTICIDES

- *348.     SHRI A.P. JITHENDER REDDY:

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

- (a) whether the Government proposes to ban Monocrotophos and Oxydemeton-methyl, the two pesticides as suggested by the panel which investigated the deaths of farmers and farm labourers from pesticide poisoning in Maharashtra and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether it is a fact that the use of these pesticides is still continuing in the country though  the  same  have  been  classified  as  Category-I  pesticide  by  the  World  Health Organisation because of their acute toxicity and are banned in several countries including the European Union;
- (c) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor along with the steps taken by the Government to keep a check on the use of these pesticides;
- (d) whether it is a fact that the Government does not have a dedicated staff to check the quality of the pesticides, if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor; and
- (e) whether the Government proposes to have a team dedicated for the purpose in the near future and if so, the details thereof along with the steps taken by the Government to educate the farmers and farm labourers regarding the safety protocols to be followed while handling toxic substances in the country?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण ½ãâ¨ããè

(SHRI RADHA MOHAN SINGH)

- (a) to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (e)  OF  LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 348    DUE FOR REPLY ON 20 TH  MARCH, 2018.

(a): As  per  the  information  received  from  the  State  Government  of  Maharashtra,  the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to investigate last year's pesticide poisoning deaths in  Yavatmal district of Vidarbha has suggested a ban on Monocrotophos across the State. According to SIT report, it was found that Monocrotophos was mixed with other pesticides for spraying which was not scientifically approved. The State Government of Maharashtra vide Notification No. CPS1117/CR204117-A, dated 01.11.2017 under provision of sub section (1) of section 27 of the Insecticide Act 1968 has temporally prohibited the use of Monocrotophos 36 % SL for 60 days.

(b) & (c): The  Registration  Committee,  constituted  under  Section  5  of  the  Insecticides Act,  1968  registers  pesticides  after  considering  its  efficacy  and  safety  to  human  beings, animals and environment. In additions, technical reviews are carried out from time to time to assess the safety of pesticides for their continued use. Pesticides used as per the approved label claims and leaflets are unlikely to cause any harm.

Monocrotophos  and  Oxydemeton-methyl  are  registered  under  the  Insecticides  Act 1968, for use in the Country.  However, the Monocrotophos is banned for use on vegetables. The  Department  of  Agriculture,  Cooperation  and  Farmers  Welfare  (DAC&FW)      has constituted    an expert committee under the Chairmanship of Anupam Verma in July 2013, to review 66 pesticides, including Monocrotophos, that are banned, restricted, withdrawn in one or more countries but continued to be registered in India. The list of such pesticides is at Annexure I. The expert Committee inter alia, recommended  for continued use of Monocrotophos and to review it in 2018 after completion of certain technical studies.

-2-

(d) & (e): Monitoring  of  quality  of  pesticides  is  a  shared  responsibility  between  the Central and State Governments. Central Government and State Governments have notified 182 and 10500 Insecticides Inspectors respectively to check sale of misbranded pesticides. Insecticide samples are drawn on regular basis and analyzed in 69 State Pesticides Testing Laboratories (SPTLs) and at the two Regional Pesticides Testing Laboratories at Chandigarh and  Kanpur.  Action  is  initiated  under  the  provisions  of  the  Insecticides  Act,  1968  against those samples which are found misbranded. During 2014-15 to 2016-17, a total of 195925 have been analyzed, out of which 5460 (2.8%) samples have been found misbranded.

The Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare has established 35 Central Integrated Pest Management Centres (CIPMCs) across the Country. These CIPMCs, inter  alia,  conduct  Farmers  Field  Schools  (FFSs)  to  sensitize  farmers  on  Integrated  Pest Management (IPM) approach, and safe and judicious use of chemical pesticides as a last resort as per approved labels and leaflets. In the last three years, a total of 1971 FFSs have been organized, sensitizing 59130 farmers.

In  addition,  the  Department  of  Agriculture,  Cooperation  and  Farmers  Welfare  has established National Institute of Plant Health Management (NIPHM) as an autonomous body. The National Institute of Plant Health Management is mandated to promote environmentally sustainable  Plant  Health  Management  practices  in  diverse  and  changing  agro-climatic conditions, Bio security & Incursion Management through capacity building programmes for farmers and State Agriculture/Extension functionaries.

Furthermore,  Regular  advisories  on  pest  management  are  being  shared  with  the States for their timely dissemination to the farmers through their extension functionaries. The State  Governments  through  various  forums  such  as  Zonal  Conferences  and  National Conference  are  requested  to  exhort  their  extension  functionaries  to  educate  and  impart training to farmers on efficacious and  sustainable  pest  management  strategies  and approaches.

## Annexure- I

## LIST OF PESTICIDES WHICH HAVE BEEN BANNED/ RESTRICTED/ WITHDRAWN IN ONE OR MORE COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD BUT ARE STILL REGISTERED IN INDIA

|   Sl. No. | Name of the Pesticide                          | 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 | Endosulfan ( 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                                      |           |                         |