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Opinion divided on harsher law
Apr. 8, 2020
PESTICIDE dealers of Haryana are opposing the Pesticide Management Bill, saying that it is against their interests, even as farmers claim that the proposed law can protect them and ensure safe and effective pesticides in the market.
The Agro Input Dealers’ Association, Haryana, which has around 7,000 small and big pesticide dealers, voiced their dissent recently. They held a state-level meeting in Karnal and handed over a memorandum to local MP Sanjay Bhatia, demanding the Bill should not be approved in Parliament.
“We are not against the welfare of the farmers, but the dealers should not be punished for the poor quality of pesticides, insecticides, fungicides, and weedicides. The manufacturers of these agro-chemicals should be dealt with strictly,” says Harmesh Singh, president of the association. He considers manufacturers responsible for the quality of the products.
“Our job is to sell the product, while the whole process of manufacturing and packing is being done by the manufacturers. Moreover, the use of the product is not in our hands and the farmers do it on their own. Action should be taken against the manufacturers if the farmer faces losses due to the use of substandard items,” he adds.
Nathu Ram, spokesperson for the association, says the Bill was earlier framed in 2008 and later in 2015, but could not be tabled in Parliament. Now, the Union Cabinet has approved the Bill, but it is yet to be presented in both Houses due to adjournment of Parliament. “We are opposing this Bill and have requested the Union Government to protect rights of the dealers. We demand an amendment that punishment should be given to the makers of pesticides, not to dealers,” he adds. He says there should be a mechanism to educate farmers about chemicals through agricultural universities, scientists and government departments.
Ram Kumar Gupta, president, District Karnal Pesticides Fertilisers and Seed Traders’ Association, says the provision for punishment and fine should be for the manufacturers only. He claims the government has also ignored their long-pending demand of abolishing the mandatory filing of principal certificate form-9. “We have been depositing GST bills and have licences. The government has again made filing mandatory in this Bill. We want the government to give exemption for this form for dealing with any company.”
On the other hand, the farming community is happy with the Bill. Vijay Kapoor, state general secretary, Kisan Welfare Club, believes the Bill is for the welfare of the farmers. “I welcome the provision of compensation to farmers in case he suffers any loss due to spurious chemicals. The Union Government has kept a provision of farmer producer organisations (FPOs), but it is already running in Haryana and still small and marginal farmers are not part of this system. The government must ensure that small and marginal farmers get benefits,” he adds.
Kapoor says the Kisan Welfare Club organises camps to educate farmers, but still there is a need to take the awareness to the fields. “For educating farmers about the judicious use of pesticides, there is a need for joint efforts by the Agriculture Department, agricultural universities, farmers’ organisations and scientists of ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research) institutions.”
For sustainable agriculture, he suggests the government should give the approval for the trials of genetically modified seeds to avoid unnecessary use of pesticides.
Dharam Vir Satija, a progressive farmer of Karnal, welcomes the provision of organic farming in the Bill and says the state government must ensure the supply of packaged bio-pesticides in the market. “There must be a stringent mechanism in place to check spurious agricultural chemicals. The government should match the information mentioned on the packet with the product inside it,” he says.
Govt intervention
SS Dahiya, Additional Director, Agriculture, Haryana, says they are educating the farmers about the judicious use of pesticides, fungicides, insecticides and weedicides.
“We always advise the farmers to use agro-chemicals only on the recommendation of agriculture experts of the department and scientists from the agricultural university. “We take action to check the supply of spurious pesticides,” he adds.
Source: The Tribune Trust
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