Call to Action - Reaching out to Rajya Sabha MP's on The Pesticide Management Bill, 2020 for amendments/improvements - to try and work towards a strong Bill/ नाशकजीवमार प्रबंध विधेयक, 2020 संशोधन और सुधार के बिंदु

[Rohit Parakh]

The Pesticides Management Bill, 2020 is expected to be brought up in Rajya Sabha sometime during the Budget Session 2021 (possibly in March, but outside chance it could be in February too) for consideration and passing. This has come through at this stage after years of background work and improvements having gone into the Bill.

 

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1693556

http://www.businessworld.in/article/Four-bills-to-replace-ordinances-among-38-legislations-on-agenda-of-government-for-budget-session/30-01-2021-371833/

 

It was already introduced in Rajya Sabha in Monsoon Session 2020. 

 

Bill in English - http://164.100.47.4/BillsTexts/RSBillTexts/asintroduced/Pesticide-as%20intr-23%203%2020.pdf

Bill in Hindi - http://164.100.47.4/BillsTexts/RSBillTexts/Hindi/asintroduced/Pesticide-as%20intr-H-23%203%2020.pdf

Contact Details of Rajya Sabha MPs   https://rajyasabha.nic.in/rsnew/member_site/memberaddlist.aspx

Party Floor Leaders (and members) listed here - http://164.100.47.5/newlob/party_position.pdf

 

The pesticides industry is attempting to get the Bill delayed by passing it to Select Committee and push their own amendments.

https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2021/jan/18/tough-road-ahead-for-pesticides-management-bill-2251528.html

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/refer-pesticide-bill-to-select-house-panel-manufacturers-to-govt-194747

 

Key Amendments Sought Listed Below in English and Hindi - Help needed to take them to Rajya Sabha MP's

 

Quite a few people have looked on the Bill and come up with a list of key proposed improvements and amendments (out of a wider list) listed here below in English and Hindi - attempting for improving the Bill as something that works better for farmers, consumers and environment ; but also that ensuring the Bill can be passed. 

 

Feel free to use below and attached documents as a baseline. 

1) Key Amendments Sought for The Pesticide Management Bill 2020 -  this lists amendments in Parliamentary format

2) Background Explanatory Note on Key Amendments Sought - The Pesticide Management Bill 2020

3) नाशकजीवमार प्रबंध विधेयक, 2020 प्रमुख संशोधन सारांश (in Hindi)

In case you can take the amendments sought to the Rajya Sabha MP's please do. 

 

·     Empower state governments to prohibit pesticides indefinitely as per their need, evidence and experience. The current version of the Bill allows for state governments to do so for only 1 year  (Sec. 2 and Sec. 35);

 

· Ensure that decision about registration gets taken only after transparent, independent scrutiny of information on need, alternatives and long-term comprehensive biosafety of a pesticide, by adopting a precautionary approach, that too of pesticides that are not in WHO Class I and II categories of hazard of acute toxicity and not known carcinogens/teratogens/endocrine disruptors, not banned in three or more countries elsewhere. (Sec. 17 and Sec. 18);

 

·   Ensure that there is absolutely no conflict of interest in the regulatory regime (Sec. 10);

 

·  Polluter Pays principle should be embedded within the statute, including for redressal, remediation and compensation to affected (Sec. 34)

 

·   Making the Central Pesticides Board into an empowered regulatory body rather than being only advisory (Sec. 8)

 

·  Ensure the task of pesticide registration review falls to a separate Review Committee which functions independently of Registration Committee (Sec. 14, Sec. 15 and Sec. 22)

 

नाशकजीवमार प्रबंध विधेयक, 2020 (2020 का विधेयक  संख्यांक  22 )

नाशकजीवमार प्रबंध विधेयक 2020 में मांगे गए कुछ प्रमुख संशोधन निम्नलिखित हैं, जिन्हें बजट सत्र के दौरान फरवरी / मार्च में राज्यसभा में पारित किया जाना है।

• राज्य सरकारों को उनकी आवश्यकता और अनुभव के अनुसार कीटनाशकों को अनिश्चित काल के लिए प्रतिबंधित करने की अनुमति होनी चाहिए, जो कि अभी विधेयक में केवल 1 वर्ष के लिए है ।  (खंड 2 और 35)

• सुनिश्चित करें कि पंजीकरण के बारे में निर्णय पारदर्शी, स्वतंत्र जानकारी की आवश्यकता, विकल्प और एक कीटनाशक के दीर्घकालिक व्यापक जैव सुरक्षा के बाद ही लिया जाता है, एहतियाती दृष्टिकोण अपनाकर, वह भी कीटनाशकों का जो WHO कक्षा I और II श्रेणियों में नहीं है। तीव्र विषाक्तता और ज्ञात कार्सिनोजेन्स / टेराटोजेंस / अंतःस्रावी अवरोधों का खतरा, तीन या अधिक देशों में प्रतिबंधित नहीं है। (खंड 17 और 18)   

• यह सुनिश्चित होना चाहिए कि नियामक शासन में हितों का कोई टकराव नहीं हो | (खंड 10)

• प्रदूषक द्वारा नुकसान भरपाई के सिद्धांत को क़ानून के भीतर अंतःस्थापित किया जाना चाहिए, जिसमें प्रभावितों के लिए निवारण और क्षतिपूर्ति शामिल हो | (खंड 34)  

• केंद्रीय नाशकजीवमार बोर्ड को केवल सलाहकार होने के बजाय एक सशक्त नियामक संस्था होना चाहिए |  (खंड 8)  

• यह सुनिश्चित होना चाहिए कि नाशकजीवमार पंजीकरण (रजिस्ट्रीकरण) की समीक्षा का कार्य एक अलग समीक्षा समिति के पास हो जो पंजीकरण समिति से स्वतंत्रतापूर्वक कार्य करता है । (खंड 14 , 15 और 22 ) 

Regards,

Rohit Parakh

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