Pesticide Poisoning

• Context (TH): Pesticide poisoning cases in Maharashtra are in frequent news.

• Pesticides are substances intended for pest control in agriculture, food production, and animal care.
• Health impacts include nausea, vision impairment, photosensitivity, loss of stamina, and even death.
• No antidote is available in the market for most pesticide poisoning cases.
• Examples of Hazardous pesticides and insecticides: Profenophos, Fipronil, Acephate, Difenthiron( in pesticide “Polo”), Ekalux and Monocrotophos.

Status of Pesticides in India

• India ranks 2nd in pesticide production and is the 5th largest exporter globally.
• Maharashtra, especially Vidarbha, utilises 50% of India’s pesticides, notably in cotton farming.

Regulation of Pesticides

• Pesticide Registration is carried out by the Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine & Storage (DPPQS) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
• Insecticides Act(1968) governs the import, manufacture, sale, and use of insecticides & pesticides.
• Central Insecticides Board & Registration Committee (CIBRC) under the Ministry of Agriculture regulates insecticide usage, manufacturing, import, and sale.

Issues in pesticide regulation

• Despite international bans, India permits at least 116 hazardous pesticides, posing health risks.
• Attempts to ban certain pesticides resulted in reversals, with limited bans enforced in 2023.

1. Committees suggesting bans:
   • Anupam Verma Committee, SK Malhotra Committee, Registration Committee and S K Khurana Committee (2020) recommended banning some 27 pesticides.

   Pesticides in the tropic levels Bioaccumulation is the gradual accumulation of pollutants & chemicals in an organism. Biomagnification refers to a progressive increase in concentration at each tropical level.

Way Forward

• Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques and bio-pesticides (environmentally friendly) are being used to counter pests.
• Expensive Molecular target-specific low-toxicity pesticides are also safer alternatives.
• Dr. Punjabrao Deshmukh Organic Agriculture Mission (2018) was started in Maharashtra to promote organic farming.