(a) whether agro-chemical producer Bayer India is selling certain pesticides that pose health hazards;
(b) if so, whether Metacid, Metasystox, Cibil and Bileyp and Hinosan 50 EC are the class I pesticide that Bayer sells in India which are not sold in Germany;
(c) if so, whether the manufacture and marketing of the products are allowed by the Government; and
(d) if so, the reasons therefor?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI A. RAJA)
(a): No pesticide producer can sell any pesticide in India, which are not registered under the Insecticides Act, 1968. The pesticides are registered by the Registration Committee after satisfying itself regarding the efficacy of the insecticide and its safety to human beings, animals and the environment and only thereafter are they allowed to be sold. Hence, the registered pesticides sold by M/s. Bayer India in India are not likely to pose health hazards when used as per the approved recommendations.
(b): One out of five products i.e. Metacid (Methyl Parathion 50 % EC ) is classified as Class I under WHO Classification of pesticides by hazards, where as all other products, i.e. Metasystox (Oxydemeton methyl 25% EC ), Bilcyp (Cypermethrin 10% ), Cybil (Cypermethrin 25%), Hinosan (Ediphenphos 50 % EC) fall under Class II category of WHO classification. Moreover, Bilcyp, Cybil and Hinosan are not registered in Germany as according to the company these are not suited to the crop pattern of Germany.
(c) & (d): Yes Sir. The registration Committee constituted under the Insecticides Act, 1968 registered these pesticides only after satisfying itself regarding the efficacy of the pesticide and its safety to human beings, animals and the environment.