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Relevance: GS-III (Agriculture, Public Health, Environmental Pollution, Science & Tech) Source: Ministry of Agriculture / Insecticides Act Notifications, 2026

Government Bans Paraquat: Why This Deadly Weed-Killer Was Removed from Indian Farms

1 · What is the news in simple words?

The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has officially banned the use, sale, distribution, and manufacture of Paraquat Dichloride across India under the Insecticides Act, 1968.

Paraquat is one of the most widely used chemical weed-killers (herbicides) in tea estates, rubber plantations, and orchards. However, due to its extreme toxicity, lack of a known medical antidote, and alarming numbers of accidental poisonings among rural farmworkers, the government has stepped in to remove it completely from the market.

2 · Why Was Paraquat Banned? The Core Reasons

While Paraquat is famous for clearing stubborn weeds within hours, its chemical composition makes it a severe hazard to human life and the soil ecosystem:

How It Works
Non-Selective Contact Killer
Paraquat is a non-selective, contact herbicide. This means it instantly destroys any green plant tissue it touches by disrupting photosynthesis, rather than being absorbed into the roots.
The Health Crisis
No Medical Antidote!
Even a few drops accidentally swallowed or absorbed through skin lesions during spraying can cause fatal pulmonary fibrosis (lung failure) and multi-organ collapse. There is no known medical antidote to save victims.
Global Consensus
Banned in 50+ Countries
Over 50 countries, including the European Union, the UK, China, and several South American nations, have already banned or strictly phased out Paraquat due to its link to Parkinson’s disease and chronic lung damage.
The Alternative
Integrated Weed Management
Indian agriculture is shifting toward less toxic herbicides and Integrated Weed Management (IWM) techniques like crop rotation, mulching, and mechanical weeding, making Paraquat unnecessary.

  • Protecting Farmworkers: In rural India, agricultural laborers often spray pesticides without adequate protective gear (masks, gloves, or hazmat suits), leaving them highly exposed to toxic drift and skin contamination.

UPSC Prelims Quick Facts: Laws & Institutions
Insecticides Act, 1968 The primary legislation regulating the import, manufacture, sale, transport, distribution, and use of agro-chemicals in India to prevent risk to human beings and animals.
CIB&RC Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee. Works under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare to advise the government on pesticide safety and registration.
Anupam Verma Committee An expert committee set up by the government to review 66 controversial pesticides banned or restricted globally. Its recommendations have guided progressive bans in India.
Selective vs. Non-Selective Selective herbicides kill specific weeds without harming the main crop.
Non-selective herbicides (like Paraquat or Glyphosate) clear out all green vegetation indiscriminately.

MCQ Practice Question
Q. With reference to chemical herbicides and pesticide regulation in India, consider the following statements:

  1. Paraquat Dichloride is a selective, systemic herbicide that targets only broadleaf weeds without affecting surrounding crops or soil health.
  2. In India, the import, manufacture, and sale of chemical pesticides are strictly regulated under the Insecticides Act, 1968.
  3. The Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee (CIB&RC) functions under the administrative control of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only    (b) 2 only    (c) 2 and 3 only    (d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (b) 2 only

  • Statement 1 — Incorrect (the trap): Paraquat is a non-selective, contact herbicide. It destroys any green plant tissue it comes into contact with indiscriminately, rather than acting as a targeted systemic agent.
  • Statement 2 — Correct: The Insecticides Act, 1968 is the statutory framework governing the safety, licensing, and restriction of all agro-chemicals in India.
  • Statement 3 — Incorrect: The CIB&RC operates under the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare within the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, not under the Environment Ministry!
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