Govt restricts use of Glyphosate in agriculture

Tags: National National News

The government has recently banned the use of herbicide glyphosate and its derivatives, considering the health hazards to humans/animals. Only authorised pest control operators are allowed to use it.

About Glyphosate

• It is a widely used herbicide that controls broadleaf weeds and grasses.

• It works by blocking an enzyme essential for plant growth. 

• It was developed in 1970, and its scientific name is N-(phosphonomethyl) glycine. 

• This product is mainly used in agriculture.

• Glyphosate and its formulations are widely registered and are currently used in over 160 countries, including the European Union and the United States.

• Farmers around the world have been using it for safe and effective weed control for more than 40 years.

• In India, glyphosate is approved for use only in tea gardens and non-planting areas with the tea crop. Its use elsewhere is illegal.

Health impacts of glyphosate

• The worrying findings were revealed in a 2020 study by Pan India on the status of glyphosate use in the country.

• The health effects of glyphosate range from cancer, reproductive and developmental toxicity to neurotoxicity and immunotoxicity.

• Symptoms include burning, swelling, skin irritation, mouth and nose pain, unpleasant taste, and blurred vision.

• The large-scale use of glyphosate in non-designated areas has serious consequences.

• The use of all weedicides, including glyphosate, is depleting food resources and depriving them of adequate nutrition.

• It was being used in more than 20 crop fields.