Centre bans paraquat dichloride, a herbicide linked to thousands of self-harm, homicide and accidental deaths

The Central government has notified for a ban on paraquat dichloride, a herbicide, that has been linked to thousands of deaths due to self-harm, homicides and accidental deaths in India. The notice comes on the back of a series of bans by different States, including most recently by Andhra Pradesh, and earlier by Telangana, Odisha and Kerala.

The notice by the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare links the ban on the herbicide/weedicide to an Experts Committee as well as a report of the Registration Committee that regulates registration and sale of pesticides in the country under the Insecticides Act of 1968. The Registration Committee cited several areas of concern, including ‘documented adverse health effects; continued history of poisoning incidents and reported high fatalities; the absence of a specific antidote; among others’.