Centre moves to limit use of controversial herbicide glyphosate

Industry terms the move detrimental to India's food security; activists say 'useless'

In a sudden move, the Central government has issued a draft notification that seeks to restrict the use of controversial plant chemical glyphosate only through pest control operators.

This, according to some experts, also means that the widely used plant chemical might not be widely available for direct use by farmers, though the draft notification does not explicitly say so.

The draft notification said the decision to restrict the use of glyphosate only through pest control operators has been framed after receiving a report from the Kerala government that asked for prohibiting the distribution, sale and use of the chemical