In a Notification dated 31st January, 2020, published in the official Gazette dated 3rd February, 2020, the Department of Agriculture, Co-operation and Farmers Welfare (“Department”) has issued the draft Insecticides (Prohibition) Order, 2020 (“Draft Order”) inviting comments and suggestion by 4th March, 2020 i.e. within a period of 30 days from the date of publication of the Gazette copy of the Notification.
Comments and suggestions have to be addressed to the Joint Secretary (Plant Protection), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare, Krishi Bhavan, New Delhi-110001.
The Draft Order proposes to prohibit the import, formulation, manufacture, sale, transportation, distribution, stocking and use of Tricyclazole and Buprofezin.
The certificates obtained for registration granted for Tricyclazole and Buprofezin under *section 9 of the Insecticides Act, 1968 (“Act”) are proposed to be cancelled.
As a result of the proposed cancellation, all registrants will be required to submit their registration certificate (pertaining to Tricyclazole and Buprofezin) to the Registration Committee. If any registrant fails to return the certificate to the Registration Committee within a period of three months, action will be taken against such registrant under the provisions contained in the Act.
Background:
Pursuant to the order of the Supreme Court in Dr. Ashok vs. Union of India & others, the Central Government had constituted an Inter-Ministerial Committee (“Committee”) to review the use of insecticides and hazardous chemicals.
In its meetings dated 8th January, 2020 and 10th January, 2020, the Committee had discussed and reviewed the use of Tricyclazole and Buprofezin and it has been further decided to revisit and review the usefulness, efficacy and safety of the abovementioned insecticides.
The Central Government, after considering the views expressed by the Committee, is of the opinion that the use of Tricyclazole and Buprofezin involves health hazards to human beings, animals and the environment.
In light of this, the Draft Order has been issued.
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*Section 9 of the Act: Registration of Insecticides: Any person desiring to import or manufacture any insecticide may apply to the Registration Committee for the registration of such insecticide and there shall be separate application for each such insecticide.
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Source: Department of Agriculture, Co-operation and Farmers Welfare
