T imposes 60-day ban on paraquat amid rising poisoning cases

Hyderabad: Amid a spike in paraquat poisoning cases, Telangana govt on Wednesday imposed a 60-day ban on the sale, use, manufacture and distribution of the herbicide across the state, citing serious public health concerns.The order (GO 24), issued by the agriculture and cooperation department, comes in response to growing evidence of the harmful effects of paraquat on humans and animals. The govt said the decision was taken keeping public health and farmers' safety in view. The issue was recently highlighted in TOI where medical bodies such as the Indian Medical Association, Telangana, and several MPs flagged the dangers associated with paraquat and called for safer alternatives, imprived packagingand greater public awareness. With this move, Telangana becomes the third state after Kerala and Odisha to impose a ban on paraquat. However, the state govt clarified that it does not have the authority to impose a permanent ban, and can restrict its use only for a limited period — up to 90 days at a time. According to the notification, the ban has come into immediate effect and will remain in force for 60 days. The state invoked powers under section 27 of the Insecticides Act, 1968, to enforce the restriction. Officials said reports and feedback from multiple sources flagged the dangerous impact of paraquat and its formulations, prompting urgent regulatory intervention. The order also directs the director of agriculture to initiate strict action against any violations during the ban period. Paraquat, a widely used but highly toxic herbicide, has been linked to a rising number of poisoning cases over the years, alarming health experts and policymakers. While the state govt estimates around 2,000 to 2,500 deaths due to paraquat exposure, IMA, Telangana, and other medical bodies put the toll significantly higher at 5,500 to 6,000.