Govt bans glyphosate herbicide in Punjab

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, November 12

The Punjab government has banned the sale of “Glyphosate” in the state. This herbicide is widely used to control wide variety of weeds in almost all the crops.

“Glyphosate” has been observed to be group 2A cancer causing material. Besides cancer, this chemical is also known for causing other health problems and has the potential to damage human DNA as per the experts of PGIMER, Chandigarh.

This chemical is being sold under various trade names such as Round-up, Excell, Glycel, Glider, Glydon, Sweep and Glyphogen among others.

In a letter sent to the Deputy Commissioners and Chief Agriculture Officers, State Agriculture Secretary KS Pannu said, “Central Insecticide Board and Registration Committee (CIB&RC), Government of India has recommended the use of this herbicide only for tea garden and non-cropped area. Therefore, there is a dire need for strict compliance of the existing label claim of herbicide-Glyphosate as per the conditions of registration with CIB&RC under the Insecticide Act, 1968.”

He said, “There is no cultivation of tea plantation in Punjab and on account of 200 per cent crop intensity in the state, non-cropped area is too meagre. Even this small non-cropped area is also associated with crop cultivation being the ridges, water channels, bunds and some area between the rows of crops, orchids and canal banks. Therefore, even this area is part of cropped area for all practical purposes.”

He further stated that the state government has decided to issue directions to all pesticide manufacturers, marketers and dealers in the state not to sell “Glyphosate” formulations with immediate effect. The licencing authorities have been asked to take necessary steps for removal of entries for “Glyphosate” from the licences issued by them.

In addition, they have also been directed to stop the sale of “Glyphosate” formulations at all points and to return the entire stock to the companies concerned.

Pannu said the Director Agriculture Punjab has been asked to take necessary action to implement the directions. Even the Punjab State Farmers Commission had also recommended the ban on the sale of “Glyphosate”.