Lok Sabha Question No. 2974 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-03-15
Subject: Use of Endosulphan
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

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2974

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  15 TH  MARCH, 2016

## USE OF ENDOSULPHAN

2974.  SHRI N.K. PREMACHANDRAN:

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

- (a) whether the Government proposes to ban endosulphan, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether it has come to the notice of the Government that the use of endosulphan caused health hazards to people of Kasargod District of Kerala, if so, the action taken by the Government to compensate these victims; and
- (c) whether it has come to the notice of the Government that the farmers are using banned pesticides in large quantity which causes health hazards, if so, the action taken by the Government to control the use of pesticides?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF  STATE IN THE  MINISTRY OF  AGRICULTURE AND  FARMERS  WELFARE

‡ãðŠãäÓã एवं कसान कयाण ½ãâ¨ããÊã¾ã ½ãñâ Àã·¾ã ½ãâ¨ããè (DR. SANJEEV KUMAR BALYAN)

- (a): A writ petition (civil) No. 213 of 2011 'Democratic Youth Federation of India vs Union of India & Ors' was filed in Hon'ble Supreme Court requesting inter alia for ban on Endosulfan.  The 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  on  to  all  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    These  certificates  have  been  treated  as  withdrawn  in  compliance  of Supreme Court's directions.

(b): Health  problems  were  reported  in  Kasargod  district  of  Kerala  allegedly  due  to aerial spraying of Endosulfan in cashew plantations. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare based on the proposal of the State Government, inter alia, approved an amount of  Rs  5.6  crores  under  National  Rural  Health  Mission  (NRHM)  for  rehabilitation  of Endosulfan victims.

(c): Monitoring of quality of pesticides is a shared responsibility between the Central and State Governments. Central Government and State Governments have notified 168 and 11,229 Insecticides Inspectors respectively to check sale of misbranded pesticides. Insecticide  samples  are  drawn  on  regular  basis  and  analyzed  in  68  State  Pesticides Testing Laboratories (SPTLs) and at the two Regional Pesticides Testing Laboratories at Chandigarh and Kanpur. As per reports provided by the State Governments, 44139 samples of pesticides were analyzed during the year 2015-16 (upto December 2015), out  of  which  1165  samples were found (2.64%) were found misbranded, where legal action is initiated under the provisions of the Insecticides Act, 1968.

In  addition,  Central  Integrated  Pest  Management  Centres  (CIPMCs)  under  the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare conducts Farmers Field Schools to sensitize farmers regarding safe and judicious use of pesticides, use of biopesticides  etc.  A  'Grow  Safe  Food'  campaign  has  also  been  initiated  to  carrying  the message  of  safe  and  judicious  use  of  pesticides  to  farmers  and  other  stakeholders. Package of practices for control of pests and diseases in 67 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.

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