Unauthorised use of 4 highly hazardous pesticides

Unauthorised use of 4 highly hazardous pesticides

Subject : Environment

Section: Pollution

Context: Unapproved use of chlorpyrifos, fipronil, atrazine and paraquat in crops point to non-compliance with national regulation.

More on the News:

• Report by Pesticide Action Network found, Safety of agricultural produce and environmental contamination is at risk due to the rampant use of four highly hazardous pesticides –  chlorpyrifos, fipronil, atrazine and paraquat
• Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee, India’s pesticides regulator, has approved specific uses of agrochemicals. But state agriculture departments and industries recommended the four chemicals for more crops than their approved use.
• Highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs) are approved for use in the country for only specific crop-pest combinations. However, they are being used for several food and non-food crops without approval.
  • Chlorpyrifos is approved for 18 crops in India, while the study found it was used for 23 crops.
• The maximum residue level (MRL)of agricultural produce is monitored based on approved uses. Non-approved uses largely remain unmonitored for MRLs, a serious food safety concern domestically that also poses a threat to international trade of agriculture commodities.

About Central Insecticides Board & Registration Committee (CIBRC):

• Central Insecticides Board & Registration Committee (CIBRC) under the Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine & Storage, Department of Agriculture & Cooperation was set up by the Ministry of Agriculture in the year 1970
• CIBRC was setup to regulate the import, manufacture, sale, transport, distribution and use of insecticides with a view to prevent risks to human beings and animals and for other matters connected therewith.
• Insecticides Act, 1968 was brought into force with effect from 1st August, 1971 with the publication of Insecticides Rules, 1971.
• The Central Insecticides Board (CIB)advises the Central Government and State Governments on technical matters arising out of the administration of this Act and to carry out the other functions assigned to the Board by or under this rules. Major functions are:
  • Advise the Central Government on the manufacture of insecticides under the Industries (Development and Regulation) Act, 1951.
  • Specify the uses of the classification of insecticideson the basis of their toxicity as well as their being suitable for aerial application.
  • Advise tolerance limits for insecticides residues and establishment of minimum intervals between the application of insecticides and harvest in respect of various commodities.
  • Specify the shelf-life of insecticides
• Registration of Insecticides / Certificate of Registration
  • In the Insecticides Act and the Rules framed there under, there is compulsory registration of the insecticides at the Central level and licence for their manufacture, formulation and sale are dealt with at the State level.
  • Hence for effective enforcement of the Insecticides Act, the following bodies have been constituted at the Central level by the Ministry:
    • Central Insecticides Board (CIB)
    • Registration Committee (RC)
  • Any person desiring to import or manufacture any insecticide may apply to the Registration Committee for the registration of such insecticide and there shall be separate application for each such insecticide to obtain the Certificate of Registration.
• Licence to manufacture insecticides
  • According to the Insecticides Rules 1971, a licence is required to obtain from the concerned State Government office either to manufacture, sell, exhibit for sale or distribute any insecticide/pesticide.

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