Telangana High Court ( Photo | EPS)
Telangana High Court ( Photo | EPS)

Adilabad collector’s order on pesticide sales suspended by Telangana High Court

The district collector has no power to impose ban or restrict the sale of any insecticide which was being sold through the authorized agro dealers, the Court noted.

HYDERABAD:  In a relief to Adilabad Agro Dealers Association and others concerned, the Telangana High Court on Thursday suspended the order passed by the Adilabad district collector who made it mandatory for the dealers to sell Monocrotophos pesticide only to the farmers who got prescription from the mandal agricultural officers to the effect.

The district collector has no power to impose ban or restrict the sale of any insecticide which was being sold through the authorized agro dealers, the Court noted. Justice P Naveen Rao was passing this interim order on petitions filed by Adilabad Agro Dealers Association and Crop Care Federation of India challenging the order passed by the district collector imposing restrictions on sale of Monocrotophos pesticide.

Senior counsel S Niranjan Reddy, appearing for petitioners, submitted that the decision of the district collector was illegal, arbitrary and ultra vires to Insecticides Act, 1968. Authorities have no power to impose restrictions on the sale of above pesticide.   

On the other hand, government counsel for agriculture K Durga Reddy said that the material was a dangerous insecticide and farmers were using it even on vegetable crops which would result in serious health problems for the consumers. Keeping this in view, the district collector has restricted the use of the said pesticide for cotton crop only, he added. After passing the interim order, the judge admitted the petition and issued notices to respondents.

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