Most of the pesticides testing laboratories in the country are in bad shape. Also, Central grants for upgrading these testing facilities remain under-utilised.
Audit reports of state pesticides testing laboratories (SPTLs) prepared by Central teams reveal that many laboratories lack sophisticated equipment necessary for accurate quality analysis. Where such equipment is available, it is generally malfunctional.
Besides, many laboratories just follow routine methods of analysis, which do not provide correct results. The analysts, too, are not properly trained.
Data collected by the agriculture ministry show that in 2002-03, while 35 per cent of all pesticide samples tested by the Faridabad-based Central Insecticides Testing Laboratory were found to be sub-standard, state laboratories could detect problems in just 3 per cent of these.
Even the regional pesticides testing laboratories found 22 per cent of all the samples tested in 2002-03 to be sub-standard.
The ministry has suggested that the states get all the SPTLs accredited with the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL), which is under the department of science and technology. It has also sent the necessary guidelines for NABL certification.
However, because of the disinterest shown by the states, the ministry is now considering allowing only NABL-accredited laboratories to test pesticide samples.
Since the Eighth Plan, the Centre has been providing grants-in-aid to states for upgrading the facilities at the existing testing laboratories and setting up new laboratories. But, a large part of it remains unutilised.
