The Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare recently restricted the use of glyphosate, a widely used herbicide, citing health hazards for humans and animals.
About:
Glyphosate is a widely used herbicide that can kill certain weeds and grasses.
Glyphosate works by blocking an enzyme essential for plant growth.
Application:
In India, glyphosate use was approved only for tea crop and non-crop areas for control of weeds.
Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala are the major tea plantation states in India.
But glyphosate consumption is higher in states that do not have tea crops.
It is being widely and indiscriminately used in paddy fields by farmers.
Consequences:
The surface casting activity of vertically burrowing earthworms almost ceased after three weeks and reproduction of soil dwellers reduced by 56 per cent within three months after herbicide application.
There are long-term negative consequences for honey bee navigation, contamination of water bodies and serious health hazards.
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