Swaminathan expressed regret at joining the committee given his heavy commitments in Parliament, but agreed to give his input on the committee's recommendations. Regarding the composition of the entire committee and the work being carried out, the committee will continue with prof. On 1 May 2012, the Delhi High Court ordered that the Board be reconstituted accordingly.
Now as per the order of the High Court dated 1st May, 2012 and in violation of this department's O.Ms. of even numbers dated the 15th March 2012 and and the 23rd March 2012 the Competent Authority of the Department of Agriculture & Cooperation hereby orders the reconstitution of the Committee consisting of the following technical persons for formulation of policy for periodic checking to detect pesticide residues in vegetables and fruits :-. The committee can consider the following proposals for the formulation of the policy as well as other proposals:-. i) The number of vegetables and fruits to be tested should be increased ie. the test should be for all fruits and vegetables in Delhi. Rajendran, ADG(PP), ICAR, Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi. Mrs) Sandhya Kulshreshtha, Consultant, Directorate General of Health Services, Room no.
Manjeet Aggarwal, Deputy Director, Department of Analytical Sciences (Bio), Shriram Institute for Industrial Research, 19, University Road, Delhi – 110 007.
Annexure-IX
Pesticides which have been restricted for use
Lindane
Methyl Bromide 5. Methyl Parathion
Methoxy Ethyl Mercuric Chloride (MEMC) 8. Monocrotophos
Endosulfan*
Fenitrothion 11. Diazinon
Annexure-X Pesticides which have been banned for use
Benzene Hexachloride 3. Calcium Cyanide
Ethyl Mercury Chloride 9. Ethyl Parathion
Heptachlor 11. Menazone
Paraquat Dimethyl Sulphate 14. Pentachloro Nitrobenzene
Toxafen 20. Aldicarb
Maleic Hydrazide 24. Ethylene Dibromide
Chlorofenvinphos
Pesticide / Pesticide formulations banned for use but their manufacture is allowed for export (2 Nos.)
- NicotinSulfate
- Captafol 80% Powder
Annexure-XI FSSAI Authorized Laboratories located in Delhi/Delhi NCR
Sh. Pradeep Gupta
Sh. Atul Kumar
Sh. Vishal Arora Director,
C-8, Sector 12, C Block,
- Dr. Imran Khan
Annexure-XII NABL Accredited Private Laboratories for Testing Pesticide Residues
No. Name of the Company Address
- Shriram institute For Industrial Reseach
19, University Road Delhi-110007
TUV SUD Okhla Ind. Estate Delhi-110020
Delhi-110015 8. Spectro Anaqlytical Lab
Delhi-110020
Annexure-XIII List of Pesticides Commonly Used/Misused/Detected on Various Commodities
Annexure-XIV Ways & Means to Minimize them on Fruit & Vegetables before Consumption
You can use a colander and then dry with a paper towel. j) Do not use soap, detergents, chemicals that could leave their own harmful residues. k) Cut off damaged or bruised areas on fresh fruits and vegetables before eating/cooking them. Discard any parts that look rotten. l) Vegetables and some fruits that are eaten with their skins can be soaked in water for half an hour to an hour and washed several times before use. Soaking fruits and vegetables for five to ten minutes in a solution of dilute hydrochloric acid with four tablespoons of salt and the juice of half a fresh lime and rinsing thoroughly with clean water helps reduce residue.
Vegetables can be kept in boiling water for just one minute and rinsed in running water afterwards to reduce pesticide residues. However, even organically grown fruits and vegetables cannot be guaranteed to be completely free from pesticide residues, although they can help reduce the intake of pesticide residues.
Spray the fruit or vegetable, wipe and eat. v) Exposure to ozone gas (O3) and immersion in ozonated water help reduce pesticide residues.
May 21, 2013
Pesticide Residues
The committee studied the original news item titled 'Indian vegetables, fruits remain highly toxic', published in the 'Sunday Times of India' New Delhi Edition, dated 31 October 2010, where the results of the study conducted by a Delhi-based NGO Consumer- Voice in samples of fruits and vegetables, collected from various wholesale and retail stores in Delhi, Bangalore and Kolkata, were published and found the presence of pesticides, which belonged to the group of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and were banned for production and use in agriculture. a lot of time ahead of time. The Committee also studied the work carried out under the Department of Agriculture and Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture sponsored by the central sector scheme “Monitoring of Pesticide Residues at National Level (MPRNL)” for testing pesticide residues in food commodities and environmental samples with the participation of 21 laboratories representing the Ministry of Agriculture, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Ministry of Commerce and State Agricultural Universities in the whole country. To identify crops and regions with a predominance of pesticide residues in order to focus efforts to expand Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and Good Agricultural Practices (GAP).
Strengthening infrastructure at quarantine stations to prevent entry of food and food products with pesticide residues above the maximum residue limit (MRL). The results of the research under this scheme provide a national scenario of the presence of pesticide residues in food products and are considered useful in identifying commonly encountered pesticides. In the period April 2011 to March 2012, samples of vegetables, fruit, spices, grains, legumes, milk, animal feed, fish/crustaceans, tea, honey, meat, eggs, soil and groundwater were collected and analyzed for the possible presence of organochlorine, organophosphorus, synthetic pyrethroids, carbamates, herbicides, etc.
A total of 16,948 samples were analyzed by 21 participating laboratories, of which samples were found to be above the Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) as prescribed under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act (PFA) / Food Safety Authority of India (FSSAI) Ministry for Health and Family Welfare and CODEX (Annex-II). A total of 6441 vegetable samples of brinjal, okra, tomato, cabbage, capsicum, chilli and cauliflower collected from different APMC/wholesale/retail markets located at different. Residues of chlorpyrifos, profenofos, triazophos, imidacloprid, acephate, ethion, phorate, quinalphos and cypermethrin, which contain unapproved pesticides, were detected in vegetable samples.
A total of 2,170 samples of fruits (apple, banana, grapes, orange, pomegranate, guava and mango) were analyzed by 14 laboratories. There is only one laboratory in NCT of Delhi for pesticide residue estimation with a capacity of 100 samples per month and capable of scanning only 28 pesticides viz. Samples are collected from suppliers and divided into four portions according to the established procedure to cover appeal and legal angles.
If initial analysis shows that a sample contains residues above the MRL, it is not considered safe and the objection sample is sent to the Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysore.
Trend of use of pesticides
Arrival of fruits and vegetables in NCT, Delhi
Committee (APMC) was established in the year 1977 with the objective of regulating the marketing of fruits and vegetables i.e. the entire Union Territory of Delhi excluding the area east of Yamuna river forming market area of APMC, Shahdara and also excluding area from junction point of DayaBasti and SaraiRohilla railway stations along the railway line going to Rohtakupto Delhi/Haryana border at TikriKalan and from there to Rewari line Railway track near Bijwasan and then again along Rewari railway line to junction point at DayaBasti and SaraiRohilla market area of AP stations forming , Keshopur. Basic statistics/information in respect of Azadpur Yard and Okhla Sub Yard is given in Annexure-IV; arrivals of the last five years (Appendix- V, Table-1); arrival of six major commodities (Appendix-V, Table-2); and average daily arrival of vehicles (Appendix-V, Table-3).
The committee obtained data on the annual arrival of fruits and vegetables in Delhiduring the last five years. The data was limited to only six products compared to the number of 118 products reported (50 fruits and 68 vegetables). The committee obtained the monthly arrival of fruits and vegetables for the year 2011-12 in AzadpurManda.
The information covered nine fruits namely apple, orange, banana, pomegranate, grapes, guava, mango, pear, sapota and thirteen vegetables namely cabbage, cauliflower, okra, brinjal, tomato, capsicum, chillies, palak, peas, cucumber , parwal, sarson-ka-saag,methi (Annex VI).
Manner of monitoring pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables abroad
The MRLs are established as 'tolerance limits' under the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (formerly the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954 and Rules 1955) and notified. While deliberating on the reasons for the presence of pesticide residues of unapproved pesticides on various crops, the Committee noted that Section 38 (1) of the said Act reads as follows:-. Nothing in this law applies to-. (a) the use of an insecticide by a person for his own domestic or garden purposes or in relation to any land under cultivation;
Appropriate training of the dealer should be a condition for granting a pesticide sales permit. The Committee deliberated on the information regarding monthly arrival of fruits and vegetables in NCT of Delhi and was of the view that information on all notified 118 commodities (50 fruits and 68 vegetables) should be collected by GNCTD irrespective of the quantity arriving in mandis. . The frequency of sampling and testing could be even higher depending on the testing capacity of the authorized laboratories.
The committee discussed the issue of where the samples should be collected so that they are more representative of the lots coming for distribution and/or sale. Therefore, the samples will be collected from the consignment at the premises of Aadhti (owner-shareholder/auctioneer). These can be broadcast through audio-visual media and also displayed in public gatherings at prominent public places such as bus stands/stands, railway stations (including metro), hospitals, cinema halls, shopping malls, etc. to educate farmers at the same time to use pesticides judiciously. The committee also felt that KrishiMelas, which are frequented by farmers, are the best place to create awareness among them through demonstrations, interaction and display/distribution of printed material.
Setting up a pesticide residue laboratory requires huge investment in terms of advanced equipment, skilled manpower, buildings etc. The pesticide residue laboratory is a trace level analysis laboratory and should be located in a dust-free, smoke-free and pollution-free environment. Therefore, it is not possible to set up small laboratories near the mandis. In mandis, the samples should be drawn from the consignment at the premises of the Aadhti (owner/auctioneer).
The manner of conveying information should be such that panic is not created in the public mind. Some of the procedures which help to eliminate or minimize pesticide residues on fruit and vegetables are listed in Annex XIV. The information on the sample collection proforma can be used to identify the area of origin of the consignment in case pesticide residues above the MRL are found in it.
Adequate dealer training should be a prerequisite for a license to sell pesticides.
Annexure-VI
Commodity Name
FRUITS
VEGETABLES
Annexure-XV SAMPLE COLLECTION PROFORMA
Scheme/Study Sampling Number
Market/Vendor : Name/address of the
Vehicle No
Invoice/Challan No. and
Sampling Details
Additional Information
Record as much details as possible about the origin of consignment/status)
