New Delhi, Jun 26 (PTI) The National Green Tribunal Friday directed the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to devise an action plan to minimise harmful effects of pesticides on human health and soil.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel asked the apex pollution monitoring body to complete the exercise in coordination with the state pollution control boards.

Also Read | Yusuf Memon, 1993 Mumbai Blast Convict And Brother of Tiger Memon, Dies in Nashik Prison, Cause of Death to be Ascertained.

An appropriate protocol may be evolved for the purpose and circulated it to the concerned agencies within four months, the NGT told CPCB.

The order came after Ministry of Agriculture told the tribunal that non-judicious and indiscriminate use of pesticides may adversely affect human health and environment. 

Also Read | MSME Day 2020: Bada Business CEO Dr Vivek Bindra to Attempt to Create Record of Holding World's Largest Business Strategy Webinar on YouTube on June 27.

The ministry told the NGT that the Centre and state governments impart training to the users regarding safe and judicious use of pesticides under various programs and it is regularly monitoring the pesticide residues in food commodities.

"It is apprised that, the insecticides/pesticides are not to be blamed alone for the soil pollution but there are many other leading causes of soil pollution too. It is further apprised that if the pesticides are used judiciously as per the label claims as approved by the Registration Committee they do not pose any risk," the ministry said.

The tribunal noted the submission and said, "While certain steps are being taken to abate harmful impact of pesticides on human health and soil, monitoring needs to be enhanced by laying down a further action plan jointly by the CPCB in coordination with the state pollution control baords."

The green panel was hearing a plea filed by journalist Shailesh Singh seeking directions to restrict use of chemical pesticides as it affects health of the citizens and contaminates soil.

The applicant had referred to a study of the King George Medical College, Lucknow and news articles published in newspapers to support his contention.

The plea claimed that around seven lakh hectares of agricultural land in Aligarh division had turned into barren land, as per the report and that many patients were referred to the Clinical Ecotoxicology (Diagnostic and Research) of the college.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)