(a) whether indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides is proving very harmful
for environment and soil; and
(b) if so, the alternative methods to be adopted by the Government to curb the indiscriminate
use of pesticides and others harmful chemicals and also to save the crops from the catastrophe of
pests and insects?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE (SHRI KANTI LAL BHURIA)
(a): The average per hectare consumption of chemical fertilizer nutrients and pesticides
(technical grade) are 96.59 kg. / ha. and 0.22 kg / ha. respectively. This level of consumption
isnot considered as harmful for environment and soil health. However, studies under All India
Coordinated Research Project on `Long Term Fertilizer Experiments` over few decades have
revealed that imbalanced use of chemical fertilizers without organic manures affect soil health
and crop productivity by enducing deficiencies of secondary and micronutrients. Further, if the
chemical pesticides are not used judiciously, they may have ill effects such as development of
pest resistance to pesticides, pest resurgence, outbreak of secondary pests, pesticide residues in
agricultural products, environmental pollution and ecological imbalances.
(b): Government of India has adopted Integrated Pest Management (IPM) as the cardinal
principle of plant protection in order to minimize the indiscriminate and injudicious use of
chemical pesticides.