Lok Sabha Question No. 4520 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-23
Subject: Controlling and Regulating the Use of Pesticides
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: N.K. Premachandran

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

## LOK SABHA QUESTION NO. 4520

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 23 RD  MARCH, 2021

## CONTROLLING AND REGULATING THE USE OF PESTICIDES

4520.  SHRI N.K. PREMACHANDRAN:

Will the Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  proposed  to  control  and  regulate  the  use  of pesticides, if so, details thereof; (b) whether the Government has evaluated the dangers due to the excessive use of pesticides, if so, details thereof ; (c) whether the Government has banned the use of certain pesticides in the country, if so, the details thereof and the list of the pesticides banned in the country during the last five years; (d) whether  the  Government   proposes  to  initiate  action  against  the  use  of  banned pesticides, if so the details thereof; (e) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  promote  organic  pesticides  instead  of chemical pesticides, if so details thereof; and whether the Government is likely to initiate action for ensuring compensation for
- (f) the hazards caused due to the use of banned pesticides and if so the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE & FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a)  to (c) : In India, the Pesticides are regulated under the Insecticides Act 1968 and the insecticides Rule 1971. The Act regulates the import, manufacture, sale, transport, distribution  and  use  of  insecticides  with  a  view  to  prevent  risk  to  human  beings  or animals, and for matters connected therewith.

Registered pesticides are periodically reviewed with respect to their safety and efficacy. On receipt of new studies/ reports/ references/ information by the government from time to time, the review is done by appointing expert committees. Based upon the recommendations of such expert committees and after due consultation with Registration Committee, the Ministry of Agriculture has so far banned or phased out 46 pesticides and 4 pesticide formulations for import, manufacture or sale in the country. In addition,  8  pesticides  registrations  have  been  withdrawn  and  9  pesticides  have  been placed under restricted use.

While banning a pesticide, objection and suggestions received from the stakeholders  on  draft  notifications  are  examined  considering  all  aspects  related  to technical, scientific requirements, alternatives available, farmers' interest, safety, toxicity and efficacy concerns, ban status in other countries etc. and accordingly a final decision is  taken.  In  last  five  years  the  Government  has  banned  following  18  pesticides  i.e Benomyl,  Carbaryl,  Diazinon,  Fenarimol,  Fenthion,  Linuron,  Methyl  Ethyl  Mercury Chloride (MEMC), Methyl Parathion, Sodium Cyanide, Thiometon, Tridemorph, Trifluralin, Alachlor, Dichlorvos, Phorate, Phosphamidon, Triazophos, Trichlorfon.

(d): State Government of Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamilnadu, Kerala, Goa, Assam, Arunanchal Pradesh, Manipur; Union territory of Jammu & Kashmir, Chandigarh have reported that no case of use of banned pesticides have been reported in their States. However, Government of India is implementing a central sector scheme, 'Monitoring of Pesticide Residues at National Level', under which samples of vegetables, fruits and other crops are collected from the retail outlets, markets, farm gate etc. and analyzed by enlisted NABL laboratories for pesticide residues. Under the scheme, a total of 30,664 samples of fruits, vegetables and other crops were collected during 2019-20 and analyzed  for  the  presence  of  pesticide  residues;  and  residues  of  banned  pesticides have  been  detected  in  78  (0.25%)  samples.  Reports  of  such  instances  have  been shared  with  concerned  State  Governments  to  take  appropriate  legal  and  corrective actions as per the provisions of the Insecticides Act, 1968.

- (e) & (f): Ministry  of  Agriculture  and  Farmers  Welfare  is  implementing  the  'SubMission on Plant Protection with a mandate to popularize adoption of Integrated Pest Management through training and demonstration in crops. Integrated Pest Management is  an  environmentally  friendly  comprehensive  ecological  approach  through  which farmers  are  made  aware  about  the  minimum  dependence  on  chemical  pesticides, judicious use of chemical pesticides and use as per the prescriptions given in the label and leaflets. The Government has established 35 Central Integrated Pest Management Centers in 28 States and two Union Territory in the country which imparts trainings to farmers  and  State  Extension  Officers  through  Farmers  Field  Schools,  short  and  long duration  training  programmes  on  Integrated  Pest  Management  strategies.  During  the trainings,  major  emphasis  is  given  on  judicious  use  of  chemical  pesticide  as  a  last resort,  safety  in  use  of  pesticides,  alternate  tools  for  pest  management  viz;  cultural, physical, mechanical methods of pest control as well as use of bio-pesticides and biocontrol  agents,  effects  of  pesticides  on  natural  enemies  of  pests,  do's  and  don'ts  of pesticide including proper application equipment and the technique.

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