Herbicide Paraquat (Agriculture)
Herbicide Paraquat (Agriculture)
Why In News:
The Union Government has notified a ban on the herbicide paraquat, a widely used but highly toxic weedicide, citing severe health risks.
Paraquat has already been banned or restricted in the European Union, China, and several other countries due to its association with fatal poisonings and a suspected link to Parkinson's disease.
Source: The Hindu, Page 6, 15 July 2026 - 'Union govt. bans herbicide paraquat'.
About Paraquat
Paraquat (paraquat dichloride) is a highly toxic, man-made chemical widely used as an herbicide to control weeds and grasses.
Apart from killing weeds, it is also used as a desiccant to dry crops before harvesting.
Paraquat can act as a plant growth regulator, helping to either speed up or delay flowering.
It does not remain active in the soil after use (no residual effect).
It is classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a Class II (moderately hazardous) pesticide, though its lack of an effective antidote makes accidental or intentional ingestion frequently fatal.
India's Pesticide Regulatory Framework
The Insecticides Act, 1968 governs the import, manufacture, sale, and use of pesticides in India, despite the name covering all categories of pesticides including herbicides and fungicides.
The Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee (CIB&RC), under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, is the regulatory body responsible for registration and banning of pesticides.
International Framework
The Rotterdam Convention establishes a Prior Informed Consent (PIC) procedure for hazardous chemicals and pesticides in international trade, requiring exporting countries to obtain consent before shipment.
The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) targets a different but related category of long-lasting toxic chemicals. The convention was adopted in 2001 and came into force in 2004.
Objective: To safeguard human health and the environment from Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).
It categorizes chemicals into three annexes- Annex A (Elimination), Annex B (Restriction), and Annex C.
India is a signatory and has ratified the convention.
About POPs: Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are chemicals that decompose very slowly, can travel over long distances, and build up in the food chain, posing risks to humans, wildlife, and ecosystems.
They are typically low in water solubility but highly fat-soluble, and their presence can also contribute to climate change.