Won't implement Glyphosate curb till further order: Govt to Delhi HC

The government recently told the Delhi High Court that the notification that ‘restricted’ the use of glyphosate only through pest control operators (PCOs) will not be implemented till further orders. The court fixed December 7 as the next date of hearing.

The matter came up for hearing a few days back, following which the Centre sought an adjournment on the matter for four months as it was currently reviewing the notification.

It also said the undertaking that the government gave in November 2022 to the court, wherein it stayed implementation of the glyphosate notification for three months, will be extended till further orders.

Last year in November, the Delhi High Court had stayed the implementation of a government notification that ‘restricted’ the use of glyphosate only through PCOs first for a period of three months.

The Court, in its order, has also directed the Centre to review the decision with all the stakeholders in the interim, and come out with a solution during which the notification ‘restricting’ the use of glyphosate will remain non-operational.

The Court’s decision came following objections from industry bodies on the order that formerly restricted the use glyphosate’ fearing health hazard and risk to human beings and animals.

In crop, glyphosate has been majorly used in tea plantations in India where it is used to control herbicides. Glyphosate is also used on non-crop areas to control unwanted growth.

These include, alongside irrigation channels, railway sidings, fallow land, bunds, farm borders, parks, industrial and military premises, airports, power stations, etc.

Glyphosate usage saw a manifold rise, once Ht BT cotton started getting illegally cultivated in India.

"It's good to know that stay on the order remains valid until the same is revoked by the court. Agro Chem Federation of India (ACFI) has opposed the restricted use of glyphosate through PCOs as such a system is non-existent in the cultivation area. We are sure that, looking at the ground level reality, the order would eventually be revoked in the days ahead," Dr Kalyan Goswami, director general, Agro Chem Federation of India told Business Standard.

ACFI is one of the petitioners in the case.