Call To Ban 20 Highly Toxic Pesticides
5 red-labelled insecticides, two red-labelled fungicides to be banned in the state | By Yentha
On May 05, 2011
Trivandrum: It has been decided to ban about 20 highly toxic insecticides, fungicides and herbicides in the state. The decision has come in the wake of the report formulated by the State level committee appointed by the Govt. to study the toxicity of the various pesticides used in farming practices. Agriculture Minister Mullakara Ratnakaran took the decision at a meeting convened in the presence of Jay Tilak, Agriculture Dept. Secretary, Dr. P V Balachandran, Director of Extension, Kerala Agricultural University. The study was conducted over a period of 2 months and report filed by Dr. Balachandran.  Red-labeled insecticides, considered more toxic than Endosulfan, like Carbofuran, Phorate, Methyl Parathion, Methyl Dematon, Monocrotophos; Yellow-labelled insecticides Prosenophos, Triazophos and the Blue-labelled insecticides like Bicosol, Sevidol and Sevimol will be banned. The banned chemicals in the fungicide category include Red-labelled methoxy-Ethyl Mercury Chloride; Yellow-labeled Oxythioquinox, Ediphenthos and Tricyclazole; Blue-labelled Ziram and Dinocap and Green labeled Captan. Yellow-labelled Herbicides like Thiopencarb, Taraquat and Anilophos will be banned. | “A state wide mass awareness campaign will be given to the farmers to make them aware of the toxic levels in the various pesticides being used in field. A committee has been formed to suggest alternatives to these toxic chemicals. Green chemicals which don’t affect the environment will be used in the field,” said Dr. P V Balachandran. The rating of pesticide is based on the level of toxicity where Red implies extremely toxic variety, Yellow (highly toxic), Blue (relatively toxic) and Green involves relatively non-toxic variety of chemicals. The ban will be made effective within two days. These chemicals will be removed from the ‘Package of Practices’ of the Kerala Agricultural University and their use will be banned in Kerala. The ban comes at a time when Endosulfan -a pesticide- which caused several deaths and genetic abnormalities when it was sprayed indiscriminately in Kasargod, was banned recently in the Stockholm Convention after several decades of struggle. Other Yentha Stories: |
