The Indian government on Tuesday issued a draft order proposing a blanket ban on Paraquat Dichloride, citing its severe toxicity to humans and animals. The draft notification seeks to halt the manufacture, import, sale, and distribution of the widely used herbicide, giving stakeholders 30 days to submit feedback before a final ban is gazetted.
Already outlawed in more than 70 countries, Paraquat Dichloride is linked to fatal poisoning, kidney failure, lung fibrosis, and Parkinson’s disease. However, the proposed ban faces a massive commercial footprint at home, where a vast agrochemical market includes more than 1,500 manufacturers holding licences for the chemical. The Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare had constituted an Expert Committee in January to examine the continued use of Paraquat Dichloride insecticide registered in India, and after detailed examination the panel submitted its report on June 12.
