Lok Sabha Question No. 678 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-12-19
Subject: Use of Banned Pesticides
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: SUDHEER GUPTA, JYOTIRADITYA MADHAVRAO SCINDIA, T.G. VENKATESH BABU, NARANBHAI KACHHADIA, C. N. JAYADEVAN, RAMDAS CHANDRABHANJI TADAS, P. C. MOHAN, VIJAY KUMAR S.R., DHANANJAY BHIMRAO MAHADIK, RANGASWAMY DHRUVANARAYANA, GAJANAN CHANDRAKANT KIRTIKAR, SUPRIYA SADANAND SULE, HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT, JAYAKUMAR JAYAVARDHAN, KIRIT SOMAIYA, P.R. SUNDARAM, RAJEEV SHANKARRAO SATAV, ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN, VIJAYSINH MOHITE PATIL, RAKSHA NIKHIL KHADSE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.678

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  19 TH  DECEMBER, 2017

## USE OF BANNED PESTICIDES

## 678.   SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:

SHRI JYOTIRADITYA M. SCINDIA:

SHRI VENKATESH BABU T.G.:

SHRI NARANBHAI KACHHADIYA:

SHRI C.N. JAYADEVAN:

SHRI RAMDAS C. TADAS:

SHRI P.C. MOHAN:

SHRI S.R. VIJAYAKUMAR:

SHRI DHANANJAY MAHADIK:

SHRI R. DHRUVA NARAYANA:

SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR:

SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE:

DR. HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT:

DR. J. JAYAVARDHAN:

DR. KIRIT SOMAIYA:

SHRI P.R. SUNDARAM:

SHRI SATAV RAJEEV:

SHRI ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN:

SHRI MOHITE PATIL VIJAYSINH SHANKARRAO:

SHRIMATI RAKSHATAI KHADSE:

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

- (a) whether the Union Government is aware that a large number of farmers across the country including Maharashtra have died due to the use of inferior/toxic pesticides in cultivation  of  agricultural  crops  during  the  last  few  months  if  so,  the  details  thereof alongwith the action taken by the Government in this regard;
- (b) whether several dangerous pesticides which are banned in other countries are still used in the country, if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether Verma Committee had submitted its report on the use of pesticides to the Union Government in 2015;
- (d) if so, the action contemplated by the Government on the recommendations of the said Verma Committee report; and
- (e) the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  ban  manufacturing  and  import  of  these hazardous pesticides/insecticides and to encourage/educate farmers to use pesticides/ insecticides judiciously?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF  STATE IN THE  MINISTRY OF  AGRICULTURE AND  FARMERS  WELFARE

## ‡ãðŠãäÓã एवं  कसान  कयाण ½ãâ¨ããÊã¾ã  ½ãñâ  Àã·¾ã  ½ãâ¨ããè (  SHRI PARSHOTTAM RUPALA)

(a): As per the information received from the Maharashtra Government, death of 63 farm labours/farmers have been reported due to handling of pesticides. The Department of  Agriculture,  Cooperation  and  Farmers  Welfare  (DAC&FW)  constituted  a  team  of officers from Directorate of Plant  Protection,  Quarantine  &  Storage  (DPPQ&S), Faridabad, and State Agriculture Department, Maharashtra. The team visited Yavatmal district  to  assess  the  ground  situation  arising  out  of  casualties  and  hospitalization  of farmers due to inhalation of pesticides. In addition, advisories have been issued, inter alia, to maintain constant vigil.

As per the information received form the State Government, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been appointed to probe pesticide Poisoning cases and to propose proactive policies and strategies to prevent incidences in future. In addition, the Government of Maharashtra has released compensation of Rs. 2 Lakhs through Chief Minister fund to affected families in  Yavatmal District.  Adequate awareness extension activities have been under taken for safe handling of pesticides and spraying activities. Further, actions are being taken by the State Government against the violation of the Insecticides Act, 1968.

(b) to (e): The Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare (DAC&FW) has constituted an expert committee in July 2013, to review 66 pesticides that  are  banned,  restricted,  withdrawn  in  one  or  more  countries  but  continued  to  be registered in India. The committee submitted its report in December, 2015.  The Expert Committee,  inter  alia,  recommended  13  pesticides  to  be  completely  banned,  27 pesticides  to  be  reviewed  in  2018  after  completion  of  certain  technical  studies  and  6 pesticides to be phased out by 2020.  The Complete list is at Annexure I.  Considering the recommendation of 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, had invited objections and suggestions from the public/stakeholders  on  banning/phasing  out  of  certain  pesticides.  The  details  are  at Annexure II. In response to the Notification S.O. 4212(E) dated 15 th December, 2016, the Ministry has received various objections and suggestions. Keeping in view of which, a committee has been constituted to review the received objections and suggestions. The  Department  of  Agriculture,  Cooperation  and  Farmers  Welfare  is  implementing 'Strengthening and Modernization of Pest Management Approach' (SMPMA) Scheme, wherein, inter alia, Farmers Field Schools (FFSs) are organized to sensitize farmers on Integrated  Pest  Management  (IPM)  approach.  In  addition,  Package  of  practices  for control of pests and diseases in 87 crops have been revised to include techniques to reduce dependence on chemical pesticides and encourage use of bio-pesticides and other alternative plant protection measures.

Annexure I RECOMMENDATION OF THE EXPERT COMMITTEE WITH RESPECT TO 66 PESTICIDES

|   S. No. | Category                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |   No. of Pesticides | Name of the Pesticides                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|----------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | I- to be continued                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |                  18 | Aluminium phosphide, Bifenthrin, Carbosulfan, Chlorfenapyr, Chlorothalonil, Dazomet, Diflubenzuron, Ethofenprox, Fenpropathrin, Iprodione, Kasugamycin, Mepiquat chloride, Metaldehyde, Paraquat dichloride, Pretilachlor, Propargite, Propineb and Zinc phosphide                                         |
|        2 | II- to be reviewed again in 2018, after completion of the recommended studies                                                                                                                                                                                    |                  27 | Acephate, Atrazine, Benfuracarb, Butachlor, Captan, Carbendazim, Carbofuran, Chlorpyriphos, Deltamethrin, Dicofol, Dimethoate, Dinocap, Diuron, 2,4-D, Malathion, Mancozeb, Methomyl, Monocrotophos, Oxyfluorfen, Pendimethalin, Quinalphos, Sulfosulfuron, Thiodicarb, Thiophanate methyl, Thiram, Zineb, |
|        3 | III- to be phased out by 2020  No new certificate of registration to manufacture shall be issued after December 2017  No person shall import, manufacture or formulate w.e.f. 1 st January 2019  The use shall be completely banned w.e.f.31 st December 2020 |                   6 | Alachlor, Dichlorvos, Phorate, Phosphamidon, Triazophos, Trichlorfon                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
|        4 | IV- ban to be continued                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |                   1 | Fenitrothion                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
|        5 | V- it's use to be completely banned.                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |                  13 | Benomyl, Carbaryl, DDT Diazinon, Fenarimol, Fenthion, Linuron, MEMC, Methyl Parathion, Sodium Cyanide, Thiometon, Tridemorph, Trifluralin                                                                                                                                                                  |
|        6 | VI- not reviewed as it is sub-judice                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |                   1 | Endosulfan                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |

Annexure II

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      |

- ********