QUESTIONS IN PARLIAMENT ON BANNING USE OF PESTICIDES

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF

AGRICULTURE

LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED

QUESTION NO

1268

ANSWERED ON

05.03.2013

BAN ON PESTICIDES

1268 .

Shri RANJAN PRASAD YADAV

VIJAY BAHADUR SINGH

Will the Minister of

AGRICULTURE

be pleased to state:-

(a) whether several pesticides including endosulphan are banned in the country for use in agriculture; (b) if so, the details thereof; (c) whether the Supreme Court has given permission for export of endosulphan; (d) if so, the details thereof; (e) whether use of these pesticides have adverse effect on agricultural production, soil and human health; and (f) if so, the details thereof along with the steps taken by the Government to provide alternatives for these pesticides? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES (SHRI TARIQ ANWAR) (a)& (b): Some pesticides /formulations have been banned for manufacture, import, and use and some have been put under restricted use in the country, which are listed at Annexure. In writ petition (civil) No. 213 of 2011 “Democratic Youth Federation of India vs Union of India & Ors”, Hon’ble Supreme Court passed an ad-interim order on 13.05.2011 banning production, sale and use of Endosulfan in the country till further orders and appointed a Joint Committee headed by the Director General of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Agriculture Commissioner to conduct a scientific study on the question whether the use of Endosulfan would cause any serious health hazard to human beings and would cause environmental pollution. Accordingly, the Central Government issued instructions on 14.05.2011 to all State Governments/U.T. Administrations to implement interim order of the court in toto, which are binding on all manufacturers. The Joint Committee appointed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court has also been directed by the Court to suggest alternatives to Endosulfan. The Joint Committee in its interim Report submitted in Supreme Court has given alternative pesticides to Endosulfan registered and available in the country. (c) & (d): Only limited quantity has been allowed for export by Hon’ble Supreme Court of India after ordering the ban Order. Supreme court allowed export of 1090.596 MT stock of Endosulfan technical lying as accumulated stock with various manufacturers in India. Further, it also allowed export of existing stock of 2698.056 KL of Endosulfan formulation in w/w form on the conditions mentioned in the orders. (e)&(f): Use of pesticides in the country is regulated under the Insecticides Act, 1968. A pesticide is registered only after scrutiny of bio-efficacy and bio-safety as per the provisions of the Insecticides Act 1968. Further, to ensure continued safety of such products, the Government appoints expert groups from time to time to review any registered pesticide which may be reported to cause any adverse effect or are banned/ severely restricted in other countries and action is taken on the basis of the recommendation of such expert groups. As such, if any negative feed-back is received, the registered pesticides are reviewed and if required, restriction or ban is imposed. The Government advises farmers to use available alternative pesticides of these banned pesticides for controlling various pests of different crops under the ambit of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach.

ANNEXURE

LOK SABHA ANNEXURED UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1268 DATED 05.03.2013
I.    PESTICIDES / FORMULATIONS BANNED IN INDIA


    II. PESTICIDES REFUSED REGISTRATION

S.No.	Name of Pesticides
	Ammonium Sulphamate
	Azinphos Ethyl
	Azinphos Methyl
	Binapacryl
	Calcium Arsenate
	Carbophenothion
	Chinomethionate (Morestan)
	Dicrotophos
	EPN
	Fentin Acetate
	Fentin Hydroxide
	Lead Arsenate
	Leptophos (Phosvel)
	Mephosfolan
	Mevinphos (Phosdrin)
	2,4, 5-T
	Thiodemeton / Disulfoton
	Vamidothion

Source: cib&rc website
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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF

AGRICULTURE

LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED

QUESTION NO

1288

ANSWERED ON

05.03.2013

USE OF BANNED CHEMICALS

1288 .

Shri NAMA NAGESWARA RAO

KAMLA DEVI PATLE

Will the Minister of

AGRICULTURE

be pleased to state:-

(a) whether the Government is aware that a large number of farmers are using certain chemicals which are banned in developed countries to ripen the fruits and vegetables artificially, which is injurious to health; (b) if so, the facts and details thereof; and (c) the concrete steps taken by the Union Government to ban these chemicals? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES (SHRI TARIQ ANWAR) (a) & (b): There have been reports in media about the use of toxic substances like calcium carbide, oxytocin for early ripening of fruits and vegetables. Clause 2.3.5 of Chapter 2 of Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on sale) Regulations, prohibits the sale of fruits which has been artificially ripened by use of acetylene gas commonly known as carbide gas produced from Calcium Carbide. However, use of ethylene gas in low concentration exogenously to trigger ripening of fruits is considered safe. (c): Implementation of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and its Rules / Regulations rest with State/UT Governments. The Commissioner Food Safety/Food (Health) Authority of States/UTs who are responsible for implementation of the said Act in their State/UTs have been requested to keep a strict vigil on use of carbide gas and other hazardous chemicals for ripening of fruits and take legal action for violation of the above provision of the Act/Rules. The State Governments have also been advised to educate the public through mass electronic media against consumption of such artificial ripened fruits.

===============

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF

AGRICULTURE

LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED

QUESTION NO

1273

ANSWERED ON

05.03.2013

INDISCRIMINATE USE OF PESTICIDES

1273 .

Shri BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB

SANJAY SHAMRAO DHOTRE VIJAY BAHADUR SINGH

Will the Minister of

AGRICULTURE

be pleased to state:-

(a) whether the Government has maintained the data of the crops and the number of farmers affected due to excessive use of pesticides during each of the last three years and the current year; (b) if so, the details thereof; (c) the details of the awareness programmes organised by the Government to educate farmers on the judicious and safe use of pesticides during the above period; (d) whether the Government has conducted any study to assess the achievements of such awareness programmes during the said period; (e) if so, the details thereof; and (f) the other steps taken/being taken by the Government to encourage the use of organic fertilisers in place of chemical fertilisers to increase agricultural production?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES (SHRI TARIQ ANWAR) (a) & (b): Government does not maintain data of the crops and the number of farmers affected due to excessive use of pesticides. (c): The Government is popularizing the strategy of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) through a Central Sector Scheme “Strengthening and Modernization of Pest Management Approach in India” which includes cultural, mechanical, biological and other methods of pest control and emphasizes safe and judicious use of pesticides. Under the ambit of IPM programme, the Government has established 31 Central IPM Centres in 28 State and one UT. The mandate of these Centres is pest/disease monitoring, production and release of bio-control agents/bio-pesticides, conservation of bio-control agents and Human Resource Development in IPM by imparting training to Agriculture/Horticulture Extension Officers and farmers at grass root level by organizing Farmers Field Schools (FFSs) in farmers’ fields. The basic aim of FFS is to train the farmers on the latest IPM technology so that they are able to take decision in pest management operation. Besides, large number of locally available bio-control agents are augmented from field to field based on the requirement. Major emphasis is given on judicious use of chemical pesticide as a last resort and safety in use of pesticides, alternate tools for pest management viz; cultural, physical, mechanical methods of pest control as well as use of biopesticides and biocontrol agents, effects of pesticides on natural enemies of pests, do’s and don’ts of pesticide use including proper application equipment and the technique. FFSs are run by trained personnel to train 30 farmers and 5 Agricultural Extension Officers (AEOs) for 14 weeks. At the end of training, Kisan Mela is organized at the FFS site to popularize the IPM approach among neighbouring farmers. So far, upto the year 2011-12 the Directorate of Plant Protection Quarantine and Storage (DPPQ&S), an attached organisation of Ministry of Agriculture, has organized 13,991 Nos. of Farmers Field Schools (FFSs) wherein 57,962 Agriculture / Horticulture Extension Officers and 4,20,720 farmers in different crops have been trained on latest IPM technology in various crops. To encourage use of biological agents including plant products and to meet the farmers requirement of these products against crop pests of agricultural/horticultural crops, various biological control agents are registered under the Insecticides Act, 1968. Besides “Strengthening and Modernization of Pest Management Approach in India” there are other schemes of the Government like Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana and Extension Programme under which farmers are being imparted awareness programmes . The National Institute of Plant Heath Management, an autonomous body under Ministry of Agriculture has in the recent past adopted 27 villages where field service training was conducted involving officer trainees in Plant Protection. The farmers of these villages have benefited by adoption of IPM technologies. The Institute also developed low cost agricultural plant protection implements viz., hand shake duster, wick weed applicator and swing sack granular applicator, and other appropriate technologies such as solar assisted low volume sprayer, battery operated backpack sprayer, etc. These appliances were popularized among farmers for control of brown plant hopper, weed management, low and effective application of granular formulations, and for judicious application of pesticides. (d) & (e): The evaluation of the Scheme, “Strengthening and Modernization of Pest Management Approach in India” including impact of IPM strategy being implemented by Central govt is being conducted by Agro-Economic Research Centre Vishwa Bharati University, West Bengal. However, at national level, impact of IPM has been observed through the following indicators:- i. Increase in crop yield from 6.72 to 40.14% in rice and from 22.7 to 26.63% in cotton in IPM fields compared to non-IPM fields. ii. Chemical pesticide spray was found to have reduced to the extent of 50 - 100% in rice and 29.96 – 50.5% in cotton in IPM fields compared to non-IPM fields. iii. Net gain in farm income of farmers was found to have increased in the IPM fields as compared to the farmers practices. iv. Use of biopesticides /neem based pesticides increased from 123 MT during 1994-95 to 8,110 MT during 2011-12, and that the consumption of chemical pesticide in the country has reduced from 75,033 MT (Technical Grade) in 1990-91 to 50,583 MT (Technical Grade) in 2011-12. (f): Under the National Project on Organic Farming (NPOF) scheme, financial assistance is being provided for setting up of fruit/ vegetable market waste/ agro-waste compost production unit for the capacity of 100 ton Per Day (TPD) through NABARD as credit linked back-ended subsidy to the tune of 33% of total financial outlay restricted to Rs. 60.00 lakh whichever is less.