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India to sign Stockholm Convention
India has decided to sign the Stockholm Convention, a landmark treaty, which focuses on reducing and eliminating release of 12 of the most dangerous Persistant Organic Pollutants (POPs), Union Minister for Environment and Forests T R Baalu said on Wednesday.
India has decided to sign the Stockholm Convention, a landmark treaty, which focuses on reducing and eliminating release of 12 of the most dangerous Persistant Organic Pollutants (POPs), Union Minister for Environment and Forests T R Baalu said on Wednesday.
"The Government of India has decided to sign the Convention as a first step," Baalu said inaugurating an awareness workshop on Sound Management of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in India: Issues and Options here.
He said action had also been taken to execute an Enabling Activities Project, which could form the basis for developing a full-fledged National Implementation Plan for POPs.
Eight of the 12 POPs, commonly called the "dirty dozen," namely DDT, aldrin, chlordane, endrin, heptachlor, dieldrin, mirex and toxaphene had become villains in the agricultural world where they were designed to help, affecting not only a nation's agriculture and environment but also the health of its people and consequently, development, he said.
Baalu said the expansion in agricultural production has to be viewed in terms of impact on environment and ecology, particularly those arising from manifold increase in the use of fertilisers and pesticides.
"Even though per hectare consumption of pesticides in India is only 0.57 kilograms, which is far less compared to USA (about 3 Kg), Europe (3 Kg) or other developed Asian countries like Taiwan (17 Kg), Korea (6.6 Kg) and Japan (10-12 Kg), problems from pesticide pollution arising from unscientific use have been reported from various parts of the country."
He said India had already banned eight of the 12 POPs and use of dieldrin was slated to be banned by 2003. Bureau Report
"The Government of India has decided to sign the Convention as a first step," Baalu said inaugurating an awareness workshop on Sound Management of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in India: Issues and Options here.
He said action had also been taken to execute an Enabling Activities Project, which could form the basis for developing a full-fledged National Implementation Plan for POPs.
Eight of the 12 POPs, commonly called the "dirty dozen," namely DDT, aldrin, chlordane, endrin, heptachlor, dieldrin, mirex and toxaphene had become villains in the agricultural world where they were designed to help, affecting not only a nation's agriculture and environment but also the health of its people and consequently, development, he said.
Baalu said the expansion in agricultural production has to be viewed in terms of impact on environment and ecology, particularly those arising from manifold increase in the use of fertilisers and pesticides.
"Even though per hectare consumption of pesticides in India is only 0.57 kilograms, which is far less compared to USA (about 3 Kg), Europe (3 Kg) or other developed Asian countries like Taiwan (17 Kg), Korea (6.6 Kg) and Japan (10-12 Kg), problems from pesticide pollution arising from unscientific use have been reported from various parts of the country."
He said India had already banned eight of the 12 POPs and use of dieldrin was slated to be banned by 2003. Bureau Report