No Mechanism To Check Presence Of Pesticides In Farm Produce: Gauhati HC

The Gauhati High Court on Tuesday observed that Assam did not have a system for immediate detection of the presence of pesticides in vegetables and other farm produce.

The high court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) pertaining to the use of pesticides in vegetables that ultimately enters the food cycle when it made the observation.

While entertaining a PIL in the matter, the Gauhati HC had earlier asked the commissioner of food safety and drugs administration in Assam, Abhijit Baruah to be present during the hearing.

In line with the court’s request, the top health and family welfare department official of Assam was present today as the court made took the issue up for hearing.

Meanwhile, it has come to the fore that the Assam government is in talks with the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) to bring in equipments that will help in testing farm produce for presence of pesticides.

This was informed to the Gauhati High Court by the state government. It may be noted that in February this year, the high court had directed the concerned departments to inspect the vegetables before they are imported to Guwahati.

The high court issued a set of guidelines related to use of pesticides in vegetables based on a petition filed by Advocate Seema Bhuyan.

Various departments including agriculture, forensics and health were directed to take adequate measures for inspecting the vegetables that were imported to the city before they entered the market and were sold to citizens.

The Gauhati High Court asked the departments to submit a detailed report on this by March 3.

Advocate Seema Bhuyan had filed a PIL in the high court stating that the food products like vegetables and crops in the state had excessive contamination of pesticides and heavy materials that are injurious to human health.

Last month, a central taskforce visited Assam's Goalpara for checking the indiscriminate use of pesticides and chemicals and interacted with the Agriculture Development Officers (ADO) of the district.

They had a discussion with the Alliance for Agri Innovation (AAI) and Agricultural Engineers Association (AEA) at the District Office's chamber in the District Agriculture Office, Goalpara.

The team visited the pesticide retail dealers in several places including Dhupdhara, Bikali ADO Circle, Tiplai, Rangjuli ADO Circle, Borpathar, Rangjuli ADO Circle, Simlitola Bazar, Matia ADO Circle, Goalpara Town, Agia ADO Circle.

Rajib Kumar Bhuyan, Sr. ADO, Directorate of Agriculture, Khanapara, Assam, Kamal Das, PO Directorate of Agriculture, Khanapara, Assam, Hitesh Bezbaruah, SDAO Dudhnoi, Bandana Patgiri, Sr. ADO Goalpara and Bipul Nath, ADO Rangjuli were present during the visit to various retail dealers of fertilizers.

The team along with the members of the District Agriculture Office Goalpara held an awareness meeting with dealers and retailers of Matia ADO Circle at Simlitola bazaar and discussions included, indiscriminate uses of pesticides and proper documentation for selling pesticides at the local markets. After that team, several areas in the district discussed the usage of Pesticides in their fields with the farmers.

The central and district taskforce jointly checked fertilizer shops for indiscriminate use of pesticides and chemicals and informed them to sell and use pesticides as per Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee (CIBRC) norms.

Also Read: Central Task Force Visits Assam to Check Excessive Use of Pesticides