LOK SABHA
No report regarding
spurious pesticides has come to the notice of the Government.
However, the analysis of samples of pesticides at State Pesticide
testing Laboratories in the country reveals that out of the total
samples drawn, around 3 per cent have been found to be misbranded.
During the last one year, 87 licenses were suspended, 380 licenses
were cancelled, 279 prosecutions were launched, 31 judgements
were obtained and 19 convictions took place for offences under
the Insecticides Act, 1968.
As regards fertilizers
during the year 2001-2002 only 5.7 per cent of the samples drawn
were found non-standard as per the report received from the State
Governments. The Central Government under powers conferred by
ECA, 1955 has enacted an order called Fertilizer Control Order,
1985 (FCO). It ensures that fertilizer only which meets the standard
of quality laid down in the order, are sold to the farmers in
the country. The State Governments are the enforcement agencies
and are adequately empowered to take appropriate action against
the offenders who may indulge in any kind of malpractices in the
manufacture/sale of fertilizer.
This information
was given by the Minister of State for Chemicals & fertilizers,
Shri Tapan Sikdar, in a written reply to a question in the Lok
Sabha today.
