Lok Sabha Question No. 2449 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-08-04
Subject: Label on Pesticides Products
Ministry: AGRICULTURE
Asked by: SUNIL BALIRAM GAIKWAD, GAJANAN CHANDRAKANT KIRTIKAR, KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE & COOPERATION

**LOK  SABHA**

**UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2449**

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  4 TH AUGUST, 2015

**LABEL ON PESTICIDES PRODUCTS**

2449.	    DR. SUNIL BALIRAM GAIKWAD:

SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR:

KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE 	     कृषि मंत्री

be pleased  to state:

(a)	 whether the labels on products containing pesticides provide detailed information about the hazardous nature of product;

(b)	 if so, the details thereof;

(c)	 whether the Government has received cases where the said information was not found on the label of such products; and

(d)	 if so, the action taken/being taken by the Government in this regard?

### 1 ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE

कृषि मंत्रालय में राज्य मंत्री  (DR. SANJEEV KUMAR BALYAN)

(a):	Yes,  Madam.

(b):	 Rule 19 (3), (4), (5) and (6) of the Insecticides Rules, 1971 provides for symbols and warning statements etc. to be displayed on the labels. (Annexure I).

(c) & (d):	 Failure to display mandatory warning or caution on labels of pesticides product is defined as “misbranding” under Sec 3 (k) (iii) and is liable to be prosecuted for an offence under Sec 29 (1) (a) of the Insecticides Act, 1968.

**ANNEXURE-I**

**19.      Manner of labelling**

3.        The label shall contain in a prominent place and occupying not less than one-sixteenth of the total area of the face of the label, a square, set at an angle of 450 (diamond shape). The dimension of the said square shall depend on the size of the package on which the label is to be affixed. The said square shall be divided into two equal triangles, the upper portion shall contain the symbol and signal word specified in sub-rule (4) and the lower portion shall contain the colour specified in sub-rule (5).

4.       The upper portion of the square, referred to in sub-rule (3) shall contain the following symbols and warning statements—

1. Insecticides belonging to Category I (Extremely toxic) shall contain the symbol

of a skull and cross-bones and the word "POISON" printed in red;

The following warning statements shall also appear on the label at appropriate place, outside the triangle,

1. "KEEP OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN"
2. "IF  SWALLOWED,  OR  IF,  SYMPTOMS  OF  POISONING  OCCUR  CALL

PHYSICIAN  IMMEDIATELY";

1. Insecticides in Category II (highly toxic) will contain the word "POISON" printed in red and the statement "KEEP OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN"; shall also appear on the label at appropriate place, outside the triangle,

1. Insecticides in Category III (moderately toxic) shall bear the word "DANGER"

and the statement "KEEP OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN"; shall also

appear on the label at suitable place outside the triangle;

1. Insecticides in Category IV (Slightly toxic) shall bear the word "CAUTION".

5.      The lower portion of the square referred to in sub-rule (4) shall contain the colour specified in  column (4) of the table below, depending on the classification of the insecticides  specified  in  the corresponding  entry in column (1) of the said table.

TABLE

| Classification of the  Insecticides   | Medium lethal dose by  the oral route acute toxicity LD 50 mg/ kg.. body weight of test animals   | Medium lethal dose by the dermal route dermal toxicity  LD 50 mg/kg. Body weight of test animals   | Colour of identification band on the label   |
|---------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|
| 1                                     | 2                                                                                                 | 3                                                                                                  | 4                                            |
| 1. Extremely toxic                    | 1-50                                                                                              | 1-200                                                                                              | Bright red                                   |
| 2. Highly toxic                       | 51-500                                                                                            | 201-2000                                                                                           | Bright yellow                                |
| 3. Moderately toxic                   | 501-5000                                                                                          | 2001-20000                                                                                         | Bright blue                                  |
| 4. Slightly toxic                     | More than 5000                                                                                    | More than 20000                                                                                    | Bright green                                 |

|    |    | 6.    In addition to the precautions to be undertaken under sub-rules (3), (4) and (5) the label to be affixed in the package containing insecticides which are highly inflammable shall indicate that it is inflammable or that the insecticides should be kept away from the heat or open flame and the like.   |
|----|----|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

*******