Supreme Court moved on endosulfan ban

Wednesday, 27 April 2011, 05:48 IST
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New Delhi: The Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) Tuesday moved the Supreme Court seeking direction to the central government to ban the manufacture, sale and use of endosulfan, a harmful insecticide widely used in India. The DYFI has also sought direction to the centre to freeze the permit given to the manufacturers of endosulfan till the matter was decided by the court. The petitioner said the manufacturers of endosulfan must be directed to pay compensation to families of the victims who either died or suffered on account its use. Endosulfan is an off-patent organochlorine insecticide and acaricide. This colourless solid has emerged as a highly controversial agrichemical due to its acute toxicity, potential for bioaccumulation, and its role as an endocrine disruptor. The DYFI has further sought directions to the centre to take steps for the appropriate and adequate rehabilitation of the victims and to issue notice to all the states on their stand over the ban. The Leftist youth organisation said in their petition that the lives of a large section of people was directly affected because of the use of endosulfan. 'The fact remains that all the developed countries including European Union banned this killer pesticide and most of other nation were not permitting the use of the same', the petition said. According to the DYFI, several studies have documented that endosulfan could also affect human development. Researchers studying children from an isolated village in Kasargod district in Kerala have linked endosulfan exposure to delays in sexual maturity among boys, it said.
Source: IANS
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