Lok Sabha Question No. 334 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-01
Subject: Misuse of Pesticides
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: JYOTI DHURVE, DUSHYANT CHAUTALA, RABINDRA KUMAR JENA, DEVJI MANSINGRAM PATEL

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

## LOK  SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 334

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 1 ST  DECEMBER, 2015

## MISUSE OF PESTICIDES

334.   SHRIMATI JYOTI DHURVE: SHRI DUSHYANT CHAUTALA: SHRI RABINDRA KUMAR JENA: SHRI DEVJI M. PATEL:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ षि एवं ककसान कल्याण मंत्री be pleased to state:

- (a) whether there have been reports of misuse of pesticides in the country, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether it is also a fact that 25 per cent of the pesticides being used across the country is  spurious  resulting  in  huge  damage  to  crops  reducing  the  fertility  of  the  soil  at  large  and creating severe environmental impact;
- (c) if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  action  taken  by  the  Government  to  check  this menace and punish the manufacturing companies/distributing agencies concerned;
- (d) whether  the  Government  is  contemplating  to  enact  a  law  in  this  regard  and  provide compensation to the affected farmers; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof along with the steps taken by the Government to provide quality pesticides to farmers?

## ANSWER

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

कृ षि एवं ककसान कल्याण मंत्राऱय में राज्य मंत्री (DR.  SANJEEV KUMAR BALYAN)

- (a): The  Central  Government      monitors  pesticides  residue  levels  in  various  agricultural commodities  etc.  under  the  central  scheme  'Monitoring  of  Pesticides  Residues  at  National Level' (MPRNL). The annual report of MPRNL for 2014-15 shows that 2.6 % of total numbers of  samples  of  various  commodities  contained  pesticide  residues  above  the  Maximum Residues Limits fixed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India.
- (b) & (c): The Central and State Governments have notified 168 and 11,645 Numbers of Insecticides Inspectors respectively under the provisions of the Insecticides Act, 1968 to check the  use  of  spurious  pesticides.  In  2014-15  a  total  of  51167  numbers  of  pesticides  samples were  collected  by  pesticides  inspectors  for  analysis.  It  was  found  that  1260  numbers  of pesticides  samples  i.e.  2.46%  of  the  total  were  found  to  be  misbranded  and  consequently prosecution has been launched in 296 numbers of cases.

(d): The  Pesticides  Management  Bill,  2008  is  pending  in  the  Parliament  with  a  view  to substitute  the  Insecticides  Act,  1968.  The  Bill  has  proposed  more  stringent  punishment  for import, manufacture,  sale  etc. of spurious pesticides. Further, the Bill  also  proposes compensation under the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986.

(e): Monitoring of quality of pesticides is a shared responsibility between the Central and State  Governments.  Central  Government  and  State  Governments  have  notified  168  and 11,645        Insecticides  Inspectors  respectively  to  carry  out  inspections  of  manufacturing, storage and sale points etc., and quality assurance of pesticides. The Central Government has established a Central Insecticides Laboratory and two Regional Pesticides Testing Laboratories at Chandigarh and Kanpur. The Central Government has also supported State Governments through financial assistance to set up 68 State Pesticides Testing Laboratories so  far.    Prosecution  is  initiated  in  the  competent  courts  of  law  in  cases  of  violations  of  the provisions of the Insecticides Act, 1968.

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