THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A rapid assessment of the effects of Endosulfan on cashew plantations, ecology, biodiversity and the people in Kasaragod, conducted by V.S.
While it is still not ready to ban it in the immediate future, India has decided to agree to a global phase-out of the controversial chemical endosulfan, a common pesticide, over the next 11 years.
The decision to phase out endosulfan is being discussed at the fifth Conference of Parties (CoP) to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants currently going on in Geneva.
The draft document of the Contact Group takes note of the recommendations by the POPRC to list technical endosulfan, its related isomers and endosulfan sulfate in Annex A of the convention, with specific exemptions. The group is yet to deliberate on pest-crop complex and the countries that have requested for the exemption.
The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants is considering a worldwide ban on endosulfan, an insecticide which has been banned by a large number of countries. Many others are phasing out the insecticide. India, which accounts for half the global production of endosulfan, says the decision should be by consensus.
The campaign to ban endosulfan is gaining momentum even as India is striving hard to persuade the ongoing conference of 172 countries to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants to postpone this decision by another year.
Endosulfan is a chemical widely used as an insecticide.
A writ petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking a directive to the Centre to impose all-India ban on Endosulfan.
The petitioner, Democratic Youth Federation of India, in its petition said it was constrained to approach the Supreme Court in compelling circumstances wherein the valuable life of a large section of people was directly affected because of the use of Endosulfan, a pesticide
