MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE (SHRI RADHA MOHAN SINGH)
(a) to (c): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (c) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 388 DUE FOR REPLY ON 21ST APRIL, 2015.
(a): India conducts technical reviews of the safety of pesticides registered for domestic use, including organophosphorus pesticides, from time to time. Decisions related to placing restrictions on continued use of such pesticides is taken on merit, based on the recommendation of expert committees.
India has restricted the use of Monocrotophos, an organophosphorus pesticide, on vegetables after an assessment of risk to human, animal and environmental health. However, the use of this pesticide on crops like cotton, paddy, maize, pulses, sugarcane, coconut, coffee etc. is still permitted.
The use of any pesticide as per the directions related to application against specific pests in recommended crops, dosage, dilution, method of application, waiting period, safety precautions, etc. prescribed on the labels and leaflets of pesticide containers in accordance with approval of the Registration Committee under the provisions of the Insecticides Act is not expected to cause any adverse effect on human, animal and environmental health.
(b): No deaths have been reported due to contamination of such food products with organophosphorus pesticides during the last one year.
(c): The Department of Agriculture & Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India has constituted a committee under the Chairmanship of Dr Anupam Verma (Adjunct Professor), Indian Agriculture Research Institute, Pusa, New Delhi, to review the continued use of 66 pesticides which include most of the organophosphorus pesticides approved for use in India.
