Pesticide Usage-Necessity of Guidelines

The recent pesticides related farmer deaths call for governmental action in this regard immediately. Cotton Farmers in Maharashtra's yeotmal district, Vidarbha region in their attempts to control pests, used hazardous chemical mixed pesticides.In spraying those pesticides they didnot take precautions as required, which in turn took their lives.We cannot blame the farmers for this entirely, but they are the victims.

First of all, if the union government stopped usage of monocrotophos like poisonous chemicals, such incidents can be averted. Some of the countries already banned those chemicals.We came to know that even though about 100 chemicals of such nature were banned,some are still used in India.

The government committe review listed for only 66.It shows the committee headed by one professor of Indian Agriculture Research Institute gave its report continueing ban ,on only already banned pesticide, but not received thouroughly.For banning some it gave dedaline for 2018 and phasing out some other from 2020.

In other countries for every 5 years they review pesticide list.The commitee's view on Endosulphan ,glyphosphates, Fenitrothion chemicals are also not unambiguous .A study by FICCI which revealed 40 % of pesticide in our country are spurious, show the pitiful state of affairs.

The Green revolution which encouraged chemical fertiliser, need to take note of soil variety,farm variety etc also. India occupies 4th position in fertiliser usage .Currently there are guidelines in issuing the license for sale, marketing of these items. It is necessary to follow them and educate the farmers in their use to avoid adverse results.