India Bans Toxic Herbicide Paraquat Dichloride
#GS-3 #Environment #Pollution #Agriculture #Governance & Social Justice #Health #Current Events #National #The Insecticides Act, 1968 #Pesticide Regulation #Paraquat Dichloride
Key takeaways
- The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has banned the highly toxic broad-spectrum herbicide Paraquat Dichloride across India.
- Medical professionals lack any targeted antidote to reverse the lethal multi-organ failure and pulmonary fibrosis caused by Paraquat Dichloride.
- Chemical regulations in India operate under the Insecticides Act, 1968, which requires mandatory registration under Section 9.
- The Central Insecticides Board (CIB) advises central and state governments on pesticide safety standards and potential chemical prohibitions.
Why in News
- The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has officially placed a complete ban on Paraquat Dichloride.
- The government prohibited this non-selective herbicide because it creates extreme safety hazards for humans and animals.
Understanding Paraquat Dichloride
- Paraquat Dichloride works as a fast-acting, broad-spectrum contact herbicide used to kill weeds and dry out crops quickly.
- It destroys plant tissue by generating reactive oxygen molecules that damage cells during photosynthesis.
Key Reasons for the Ban
- Medical science offers no specific antidote for Paraquat Dichloride, which makes severe accidental or intentional poisoning almost impossible to treat.
- Ingesting this chemical causes catastrophic multi-organ damage, particularly progressive and irreversible lung scarring known as pulmonary fibrosis along with kidney failure.
- Easy availability on farms leads to severe public health crises through high rates of occupational contact, accidental poisonings, and self-harm incidents.
- Specialist reviews by a government expert panel and consultations with the Registration Committee confirmed extensive hazards to humans, livestock, and nature.
About the Insecticides Act of 1968
- The Insecticides Act, 1968 serves as India's primary legal framework governing the import, production, sale, movement, and application of pest-control chemicals.
Key Provisions of the Insecticides Act
- Section 9 makes it mandatory to register every chemical with the Registration Committee before anyone can import or manufacture it in India.
- The law sets up the Central Insecticides Board (CIB) as an expert advisory body to guide national and state authorities on pesticide safety.
- The statutory rules give the government explicit authority to limit or ban any chemical compound that endangers living beings.
- Designated field inspectors and state testing laboratories inspect facilities, take chemical samples, and crack down on substandard or fake pesticides.
- The framework requires clear hazard labels, specialized packaging, and prominent safety warnings on all commercial pesticide containers.
Significance of the Regulatory Framework
- Strong chemical oversight reduces direct exposure to toxic compounds, safeguarding farm workers, consumers, animals, and broader ecosystems.
- The regulatory system maintains a balance between safeguarding agricultural crop yields and defending public health from chemical hazards.