Govt. seeks feedback on draft Bill to regulate pesticides, promote ‘safe and effective’ use

India's agricultural landscape, a cornerstone of its economy and food security, has long grappled with the dual challenge of enhancing productivity while safeguarding environmental and human health. The government's recent move to seek feedback on a draft Bill to regulate pesticides marks a significant step towards addressing these complex issues, signaling a potential paradigm shift in how the nation approaches agricultural inputs.

**Background Context and What Happened:**

For decades, the use of chemical pesticides has been central to India's agricultural strategy, particularly since the Green Revolution in the 1960s and 70s. While these chemicals significantly boosted food production, they also brought unforeseen consequences: soil degradation, water contamination, loss of biodiversity, and serious health risks to farmers and consumers. The existing regulatory framework, primarily the Pesticides Act of 1968, is widely considered outdated and inadequate to address the complexities of modern agriculture and the evolving scientific understanding of pesticide impacts. It lacks comprehensive provisions for risk assessment, post-market surveillance, and the promotion of safer alternatives. In response to these growing concerns, and following a series of reports highlighting the adverse effects of certain pesticides, the government has drafted a new Bill. This draft legislation aims to replace the archaic 1968 Act, introducing a more robust and responsive framework. The current phase involves seeking public feedback, which is a crucial step in democratic policymaking, ensuring diverse perspectives are considered before finalization.

**Key Objectives and Stakeholders:**

The primary objectives of this proposed Bill are multifaceted: to minimize risk to human beings, animals, other living organisms (like beneficial insects and soil microbes), and the environment. Crucially, it seeks to promote the use of pesticides that are "safe and effective," with a particular emphasis on those that are "biological and based on traditional knowledge." This reflects a growing global and national inclination towards sustainable and organic farming practices. Key stakeholders in this regulatory overhaul include: **Farmers**, who are both users and direct beneficiaries/sufferers of pesticide use; the **Pesticide Manufacturing Industry**, which will be directly impacted by stricter regulations and potential shifts towards biological alternatives; **Environmental Advocacy Groups** and **Public Health Organizations**, who have long campaigned for stricter controls and safer farming methods; **Agricultural Scientists and Researchers** from institutions like ICAR, who are vital for developing and validating new biological and traditional knowledge-based solutions; and various **Government Ministries and Departments**, including the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, and health ministries, responsible for policy formulation, implementation, and enforcement.

**Significance for India and Historical Context:**

This Bill holds immense significance for India. Economically, it could spur the growth of the organic farming sector and the development of indigenous biological pesticide industries, aligning with the 'Make in India' initiative. It could also enhance the competitiveness of Indian agricultural produce in international markets, where demand for organic and residue-free products is high. Environmentally, the Bill is critical for protecting India's rich biodiversity, improving soil health, conserving water resources, and mitigating the ecological footprint of agriculture. Socially, it promises improved public health by reducing exposure to harmful chemicals, ensuring safer food for consumers, and better working conditions for farmers. Historically, India's agricultural journey from traditional, low-input farming to the chemical-intensive Green Revolution, and now a push back towards sustainable practices, highlights a cyclical evolution. The Green Revolution, while a success in terms of food production, came with environmental costs. This Bill is an attempt to learn from those experiences and chart a more sustainable path forward, integrating modern science with traditional wisdom.

**Future Implications and Constitutional Provisions:**

The successful implementation of this Bill could lead to a significant transformation in Indian agriculture, fostering a more sustainable, resilient, and health-conscious food system. It aligns with India's commitments to global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 15 (Life on Land). However, challenges remain, including ensuring effective enforcement, educating farmers about new practices, and making biological alternatives accessible and affordable. The Bill's emphasis on traditional knowledge also resonates with India's rich heritage in natural farming.

From a constitutional perspective, this Bill is deeply rooted in several provisions. **Article 48A** of the Directive Principles of State Policy mandates that "The State shall endeavour to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wild life of the country." This Bill directly contributes to fulfilling this directive. Furthermore, the Supreme Court has interpreted **Article 21** (Right to Life and Personal Liberty) to include the right to a clean environment and safe food, making environmental protection and food safety a fundamental right. The **Environment (Protection) Act, 1986**, provides a broad legislative framework for environmental conservation, under which specific regulations like this pesticide Bill can be framed. Government policies such as the **Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY)** and **Bhartiya Prakritik Krishi Paddhati (BPKP)** already promote organic and natural farming, providing a policy ecosystem that supports the objectives of this new Bill. The new Bill, by replacing the outdated 1968 Act, aims to provide a modern, comprehensive, and forward-looking legal instrument to govern pesticide use in India, balancing agricultural productivity with ecological and public health imperatives.