Skip to main content

It's not an outright ban; why are other highly hazardous pesticides left out?: PAN India

Counterview Desk 

Even as welcoming the recent Government of India (GoI) ban on four highly hazardous pesticides, the advocacy group Pesticide Action Network (PAN) India has regretted that the latest order has not banned outright, but qualified the ban with conditions. Government of India gives a window period of one year for farmers to move towards alternatives, PAN India said in a statement.
Pointing out that the ban notification only says that “sale, distribution or use of Monocrotophos 36% SL shall be allowed only for clearance of existing stock till its expiry period”, the advocacy group underlined, “There is ambiguity in this language which can be used to build stocks in this window period of 1 year, enabling the continued use of Monocrotophos beyond the 1 year period and until the stocks are cleared.”
Insisting that a specific line banning manufacture of Monocrotophos (all its formulations) is required, it said, field information on pesticide poisoning and exposures reinforce the demand for outright ban of other identified pesticides as well. The Agriculture Ministry has to explain why 16 pesticides, declared as highly hazardous, have still been left out.

Text:

India has banned four insecticides -- Dicofol, Dinocap, Methomyl and Monocrotophos – through a Gazette Notification dated 29th September, 2023, but published on 6th October, 2023[1]. Pesticide Action Network (PAN) India welcomes the ban on these four pesticides, especially the addition of monocrotophos, as we represented for its inclusion in the ban list, subsequent to the draft order published in February, 2023.
Dr. Narasimha Reddy, public policy expert says that “this ban almost coincides with the recently concluded negotiations at the Fifth International Convention on Chemicals Management (ICCM5) in Bonn, and the emergence of Global Framework of Chemicals, and the target to eliminate Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs) by 2035, among others”.
Monocrotophos has been named in several pesticide poisoning cases across India, including in the infamous Yavatmal pesticide poisoning episode, in 2017. Maharashtra Association of Pesticide Poisoned Persons (MAPPP) has been advocating for a ban on this and other pesticides involved in deaths and injuries to farmers and farm labour. In fact, Maharashtra government has written a letter to the Union Government of India to ban this and 4 other pesticides. There was no response from the government of India to that letter.
Even the latest order has not banned outright, but qualified the ban with conditions. Government of India gives a window period of one year, for farmers to move towards alternatives. It also says, “sale, distribution or use of Monocrotophos 36% SL shall be allowed only for clearance of existing stock till its expiry period.” There is ambiguity in this language which can be used to build stocks in this window period of 1 year, enabling the continued use of Monocrotophos beyond the 1 year period and until the stocks are cleared. A specific line banning manufacture of Monocrotophos (all its formulations) is required.
Additional Comments and observations from the ban notification:
1. Reference to Carbofuran in this notification is interesting, puzzling and is a cause of consternation. In fact, no change or restriction is brought in the case of Carbofuran even though it is mentioned on the top of the list. It clearly states that “All other formulations of Carbofuran, except Carbofuran three percent Encapsulated granule (CG) along with the crop labels, may be stopped from use.” This means Carbofuran three percent Encapsulated granule (CG) is not banned. Interestingly, Carbofuran 3% CG formulation is the only formulation registered in India. No other formulation is registered in India. We need Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee (CIB&RC) to clarify on this.
2. The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare should have re-issued the previous notification or approved the draft notification dated 18th May 2020, without modifications. Instead, it has reformulated and reduced the number of pesticides to be banned to three, qualified ban on one and allowed restricted usage of other seven pesticides. Earlier in July, The honorable Supreme Court made observations while hearing a PIL related to pesticide bans in India, that the Center has been constituting committees after committees to review the the proposal of banning 27 pesticides in 2020, so as to get a favorable response.
3. Banning three HHPs is right and welcome. But this is not enough. Expert Committee Report and the field information on pesticide poisoning and exposures reinforce the demand for outright ban of other identified pesticides as well.
4. The remaining 16 pesticides, out of the 27 pesticides in the previous draft notification, do not find any mention. The Agriculture Ministry has to explain why these 16 pesticides have been left out.
Process of watering down regulatory outcomes to satisfy profit motive of agrochemical industry continues
5. Malathion was restricted long back to be used only for public health purposes and banned from usage on food crops. However, this draft notification allows its usage on two vegetable crops, namely Paddy and Cabbage. The Agriculture Ministry has in fact extended its usage, from the previous restriction. Since it has been recommended for ban given its hazard potential, especially on food crops, Centre cannot justify continued usage of this highly hazardous pesticide. Malathion has been found in food residues across the country.
6. Surprisingly, seven pesticides were not proposed for an outright ban. These are currently being notified for restricted use on certain crops. This means they are banned for usage on specific crops, which were listed in the original registration. These seven HHPs are notified for amendment in the label claim. Pesticide companies that are manufacturing and marketing these pesticides have to change the labels, wherein the crops on which they can be used are mentioned.
“There is no rational for label change, and not outright ban as represented by us and recommended by the Expert Committee. Label change is merely a technical matter which does not have any implications in the field use, given that many pesticides in the country have been recommended beyond the approved use of pesticides in the country by Agriculture Universities and Commodity Boards, and actual field use is happening on many more crops as well as non approved pesticides have been detected among agriculture commodities in residues analysis”, says A. D. Dileep Kumar, CEO of Pesticide Action Network India.
While, PAN India appreciate the efforts of Government of India on banning some pesticides, it feels that the recent developments of appointing committees after committees, following the 2020 Draft ban notification  to review regulatory decisions is a process of watering down the regulatory outcomes to satisfy the profit motive of the agrochemical industry, undermining public health and environmental well being.
PAN India urges Government of India to urgently ban the remaining pesticides listed in the 2020 draft order that proposed banning of 27 pesticides since the Expert Committee and the Registration Committee found that their use is likely to involve risk to human being and animals.
---
[1] S.O. 4294(E) Notification, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare), New Delhi, 29th September, 2023, published on 6th October, 2023, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 27 read with section 28 of the Insecticides Act, 1968 (46 of 1968). Click here for PAN India's information note on the ban

Comments

TRENDING

'Draconian' Kerala health law follows WHO diktat: Govt readies to take harsh measures

By Dr Maya Valecha*  The Governor of Kerala has signed the Kerala Public Health Bill, which essentially reverses the people’s campaign in healthcare services in Kerala for decentralisation. The campaign had led to relinquishing of state powers in 1996, resulting in improvement of health parameters in Kerala. Instead, now, enforcement of law through the exercise of power, fines, etc., and the implementation of protocol during the pandemic, are considered of prime importance.

Reject WHO's 'draconian' amendments on pandemic: Citizens to Union Health Minister

By Our Representative  Several concerned Indian citizens have written to the Union Health Minister to reject amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR) of the World Health Organization (WHO) adopted during the 75th World Health Assembly (WHA75) in May 2022, apprehending this will make the signatories surrender their autonomy to the “unelected, unaccountable and the whimsical WHO in case of any future ‘pandemics’.”

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah*   The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual. 

Bihar rural women entrepreneurs witness 50% surge in awareness about renewal energy

By Mignonne Dsouza*  An endline survey conducted under the Bolega Bihar initiative revealed a significant increase in awareness of renewable energy among women, rising from 25% to 76% in Nalanda and Gaya. Renu Kumari, a 34-year-old entrepreneur from Nalanda, Bihar, operates a village eatery that serves as the primary source of income for her family, including her husband and five children. However, a significant portion of her profits was being directed toward covering monthly electricity expenses that usually reach Rs 2,000. 

Work with Rajasthan's camel herders: German scientist wins World Cookbook Award 2023

By Rosamma Thomas*  Gourmand World Cookbook Awards are the only awards for international food culture. This year, German scientist  Ilse Kohler Rollefson , founder of Camel Charisma, the first of India’s camel dairies, in Pali district of Rajasthan, won the award for her work with camel herders in Rajasthan, and for preparing for the UN International Year of Camelids, 2024. 

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Why is electricity tariff going up in India? Who is the beneficiary? A random reflection

By Thomas Franco*  Union Ministry of Power has used its power under Section 11 of the Electricity Act, 2003 to force States to import coal which has led to an increase in the cost of electricity production and every consumer is paying a higher tariff. In India, almost everybody from farmers to MSMEs are consumers of electricity.

'Pro-corporate agenda': Odisha crackdown on tribal slum dwellers fighting for land rights

By Our Representative  The civil rights network Campaign Against State Repression (CASR), even as condemning what it calls “brutal repression” on the Adivasi slum dwellers of Salia Sahi in Bhubaneshwar by the Odisha police, has said that the crackdown was against the tribals struggling for land rights in order to “stop the attempts at land-grab by the government.”

Deplorable, influential sections 'still believe' burning coal is essential indefinitely

By Shankar Sharma*  Some of the recent developments in the power sector, as some  recent news items show, should be of massive relevance/ interest to our policy makers in India. Assuming that our authorities are officially mandated/ committed to maintain a holistic approach to the overall welfare of all sections of our society, including the flora, fauna and general environment, these developments/ experiences from different parts of the globe should be clear pointers to the sustainable energy pathways for our people.

Hazrat Aisha’s age was 16, not 6: 'Weak' Hadith responsible for controversy

Sacred chamber where Prophet and Aisha used to live By Dr Mike Ghouse* Muslims must take the responsibility to end the age-old controversy about Hazrat Aisha’s age at the time of her marriage to the Prophet (pbuh) – it was 16, not 6 (minimum was 16, Max 23 per different calculations). The Hadiths published were in good faith, but no one ever checked their authenticity, and they kept passing on from scholar to scholar and book to book.  Thanks to 9/11, Muslims have started questioning and correcting the Hadiths, Seerah, and mistranslations of the Quran. Now, the Ulema have to issue an opinion, also known as Fatwa, to end it and remove those Hadith entries. Mustafa Akyol, a scholar of Islam, implores Muslims to stop deifying “the received traditions” and critically study their religious past, shedding rigid legalism and close-mindedness. Someone else used the phrase “copycat Muslims” to identify scholars who copied what was given to them and passed it on without researching or questioni