India:Supreme Court seeks Centre’s response on plea for banning 93 pesticides

The India Supreme Court on Monday sought the Centre’s response on a plea that sought a ban on 93 pesticides, which are banned in different countries but are used by Indian agriculturists and thus exposes them to serious diseases.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar, and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud sought the Centre’s response when the petitioners said that the use of pesticides, including herbicides, had an alarming adverse affect on the health of farmers, farm workers and consumers.

Petitioners Kavitha Kuruganti, Amar Singh Azad, and V.R. Ananthasayanan said farmers and farm workers need assistance of the central and state governments to get their right to health by gradually shifting to organic farming that is free of harmful pesticides.

Contending that farmers are caught in a vicious circle of debts, deteriorating soil health, falling groundwater quality and table, the petitioners said use of pesticides was leading to creation of pesticide-resistent pests and consequent need for more chemicals to tackle them.