• Assam government will launch a programme to test excessive pesticides in vegetables from June 5

    Regional
    Assam government will launch a programme to test excessive pesticides in vegetables from June 5

    The Gauhati High Court stated in April of this year that Assam lacks a framework for instantly detecting the presence of pesticides in farm products and vegetables.

    Digital
    Desk:
    The Assam government on May 30, informed
    the Gauhati High Court that it would conduct a state-wide testing drive to
    determine excessive pesticide use in vegetables and other farm products.



    color:black">In an affidavit, the state administration informed the high court
    that 200 testing kits from the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) had been
    brought in for testing.



    color:black">The government will submit periodic reports throughout the testing
    procedure to help document the amount of pesticides identified in the test
    samples.



    color:black">Previously, the court issued a special order to the petitioners
    who had disclosed the situation. The court also noted that if the petitioners
    could give fresh information about the case, they would be permitted to file
    complaints with the police.



    color:black">The Gauhati High Court stated in April of this year that Assam
    lacks a framework for instantly detecting the presence of pesticides in farm
    products and vegetables.



    color:black">The high court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) over
    the use of pesticides in vegetables that end up in the food chain when it made
    the statement.



    color:black">The Gauhati High Court had previously requested that the
    commissioner of food safety and medicines administration in Assam, Abhijit
    Baruah, be present at the hearing while hearing a PIL in the subject.



    color:black">The top health and family welfare department official from Assam
    was present while the court heard the case, as requested by the court.
    Meanwhile, it was revealed that the Assam government was in talks with BARC to
    bring in equipment to aid in the testing of farm produce for the presence of
    pesticides.



    color:black">The state administration informed the Gauhati High Court of this.
    The high court had instructed the appropriate departments to inspect the
    vegetables before they were brought into Guwahati in February of this year.



    Based on a plea submitted
    by Advocate Seema Bhuyan, the high court imposed a set of guidelines regarding
    the use of pesticides in vegetables.



     



    color:black">Various offices, including horticulture, legal sciences, and
    health, were coordinated to go to great measures to examine the veggies
    imported to the city before they entered the market and were sold to citizens.



    color:black">The Gauhati High Court ordered the authorities to give a complete
    report on this by March 3.



    color:black">In a PIL, advocate Seema Bhuyan alleged that the state's crops and
    vegetables were overly contaminated with heavy chemicals and pesticides that
    were dangerous to human health.



    color:black">A government team met with the district's Agriculture Development
    Officers (ADO) in Goalpara, Assam, the month before to investigate the
    extensive usage of herbicides and pesticides.



    color:black">They met with the Coalition for Agri Development (AAI) and the
    Affiliation of Horticultural Designers (AEA) at the Region Office's chamber in
    the Locale Farming Office, Goalpara.



    color:black">The crew paid visits to pesticide retail merchants in Dhupdhara,
    Bikali ADO Circle, Tiplai, Rangjuli ADO Circle, Borpathar, Rangjuli ADO Circle,
    Simlitola Bazar, Matia ADO Circle, Goalpara Town, and Agia ADO Circle.



    color:black">Bandana Patgiri, Sr., ADO Directorate of Agriculture, Khanapara,
    Assam; Sr. Rajib Kumar Bhuyan Kamal Das, PO Directorate of Agriculture,
    Khanapara, Assam; Hitesh Bezbaruah, SDAO Dudhnoi; Bandana Patgiri, Sr., ADO
    Directorate of Agriculture, Khanapara, Assam ADO Goalpara and Bipul Nath, ADO
    Rangjuli, were present during the tour to several fertiliser retail dealers.



    The team and members of the District Agriculture Office Goalpara
    organised an awareness meeting with Matia ADO Circle traders and retailers at
    Simlitola market. Pesticide indiscriminate usage and adequate pesticide sales
    documentation were among the topics highlighted. Following that team, farmers
    in various districts debated pesticide use in their farms.



    The Central and state taskforces jointly checked fertilizer shops
    for indiscriminate pesticide and chemical use and advised them to sell and use
    pesticides in accordance with Central Insecticides Board and Registration
    Committee (CIBRC) guidelines.