Outlaw glyphosate and its derivatives
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Vijay Kumar HK
Widely used weedicide glyphosate has risks to human, birds and animals health as per research. India needs to outlaw the hazardous weedkiller glyphosate rather than just restricting its use. The long-standing call for the banning of glyphosate by RTI activists, Environmentalist and Social workers has been ignored. Last month, the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare announced a partial restriction on the use of glyphosate through an order heading restriction on use of glyphosate. The announcement mentions that many State Governments across the country sent a report to the Central Government asking them to forbid the use, sale, and distribution of glyphosate and its derivatives.
According to a research by the International Pesticide board a non-profit organisation focused on pesticide issues, there are about 100 different brands of glyphosate accessible across the country itself. Only tea crops and non-crop areas are permitted to use glyphosate for weed management throughout the Nation. Assam, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala are the principal tea-growing States in India. But glyphosate consumption data shows a different picture.
Consumption is higher in States that do not have tea crops according to data received by RTI activists and Environmental activists. (To be contd)
Widely used weedicide glyphosate has risks to human, birds and animals health as per research. India needs to outlaw the hazardous weedkiller glyphosate rather than just restricting its use. The long-standing call for the banning of glyphosate by RTI activists, Environmentalist and Social workers has been ignored. Last month, the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare announced a partial restriction on the use of glyphosate through an order heading restriction on use of glyphosate. The announcement mentions that many State Governments across the country sent a report to the Central Government asking them to forbid the use, sale, and distribution of glyphosate and its derivatives.
According to a research by the International Pesticide board a non-profit organisation focused on pesticide issues, there are about 100 different brands of glyphosate accessible across the country itself. Only tea crops and non-crop areas are permitted to use glyphosate for weed management throughout the Nation. Assam, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala are the principal tea-growing States in India. But glyphosate consumption data shows a different picture.
Consumption is higher in States that do not have tea crops according to data received by RTI activists and Environmental activists. (To be contd)