NEW DELHI, May 11 � The Supreme Court today posed some serious questions to the government for continuing with the manufacturing and production of pesticide Endosulfan and decided to pass an interim order on Friday, reports PTI.
The apex court expressed concern over the alleged harmful affect of the pesticide and health hazards including genetic disorder among the population where it was widely used.
�Stop manufacturing it. Then there would be no question of using it by aerial spray,� a Bench headed by Chief Justice S H Kapadia said when it was informed that the government was not taking action to ban its use despites its harmful affect reflected in the research.
The apex court further wanted to know how many industries apart from Kerala-based PSU Hindustan Insecticides were manufacturing Endosulfan.
Senior advocate Krishna Venugopal, appearing for the petitioner, CPI-M�s youth wing Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), informed that around 70 per cent Endosulfan was manufactured by the private sector.
Meanwhile, senior advocate Soli Sorabjee, appearing for Endosulfan manufacturers, submitted that the court should not pass any such order banning the pesticide, without hearing the producers.
However, the Bench said if interim order was not passed on it then it would be difficult to take a corrective measure after the damage.
�If we proceed and later we find that it is harmful, then we can not put the clock back. Today, if we do not do it and not pass any order, then the damage would be irreparable,� the Bench, also comprising justices K S Radhakrishnan and Swatanter Kumar, said.
Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium said before considering a ban on Endosulfan, government has to look for an alternative as farmers are likely to suffer.
