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‘Lift ban on Endosulfan’
An expert committee on Endosulfan has recommended the Supreme Court to lift the ban on the pesticide, the use of which had caused serious physical and mental deformities in Kerala.
Stating that the harmful effects of Endosulfan were no different from that of other pesticides, the Joint Expert Committee headed by Director General Health Services (DGHS) and comprising Member Secretary of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) recommended its phasing out after two years in order to facilitate exhaustion of existing stock of Endosulfan and its raw materials that had piled up on account of the SC ban.
The bench of Justices Swatanter Kumar and Madan B Lokur took the report on record but refrained from passing an order till next week. The report admitted there were important health hazards caused by endosulfan such as endocrine discruption, carcinogenicity, congenital anomalies, reproductive and neurological abnormalities. However, it said that “13-35 per cent of the registered pesticides are known to have above health/biological effects to varying degrees…hence endosulfan alone cannot be singled out for such potential risks.”
But since India was signatory to Stockholm Convention and Rotterdam Convention, its use was recommended to be phased out in the next two years. During this period, there should not be any fresh import of the pesticide, the report added.
An expert committee on Endosulfan has recommended the Supreme Court to lift the ban on the pesticide, the use of which had caused serious physical and mental deformities in Kerala.
Stating that the harmful effects of Endosulfan were no different from that of other pesticides, the Joint Expert Committee headed by Director General Health Services (DGHS) and comprising Member Secretary of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) recommended its phasing out after two years in order to facilitate exhaustion of existing stock of Endosulfan and its raw materials that had piled up on account of the SC ban.
The bench of Justices Swatanter Kumar and Madan B Lokur took the report on record but refrained from passing an order till next week. The report admitted there were important health hazards caused by endosulfan such as endocrine discruption, carcinogenicity, congenital anomalies, reproductive and neurological abnormalities. However, it said that “13-35 per cent of the registered pesticides are known to have above health/biological effects to varying degrees…hence endosulfan alone cannot be singled out for such potential risks.”
But since India was signatory to Stockholm Convention and Rotterdam Convention, its use was recommended to be phased out in the next two years. During this period, there should not be any fresh import of the pesticide, the report added.
