Can Endosulfan stock be exported, SC asks expert panel

The Supreme Court today asked an expert panel appointed by it to explore the possibility of exporting the unused stock of Endosulfan manufactured here to other countries.

A bench headed by Chief Justice S H Kapadia said the panel would also consider how much of the Endosulfan stock can be exported against the orders for supply of the pesticide from other countries.

It also said the committee will also look into the steps required to deal with unexported Endosufan.

The bench said the court would also like to know the steps to be taken in accordance with environmental norms, based on international conventions concerning Endosulfan and asked the panel to give its report within three weeks.

The apex court had on May 13 imposed a complete ban on production, sale and use of Endosulfan holding that human life is more important than anything else and it did not want even a single child to suffer.

The court's order had came on a petition seeking a ban on Endolsulfan on the ground that it was causing health hazards including genetic disorders in Kerala where it is widely used. The bench had said it was concerned about right to life of the citizen guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution and even the companies involved in the manufacturing of the controversial pesticide cannot ignore corporate and social responsibility by ignoring the hazards posed to human lives.

On May 13, the apex court had directed the statutory authorities to freeze the production licences granted to the manufacturers of the pesticide till its further order.

It had sought a detailed study on all aspect of the pesticide from an expert committee that it had directed the government to form out of the members of the two other panels.

The bench had asked the committee to give its preliminary report on whether to ban the pesticide or to eliminate its existing stock in phases and if there was any alternative to the controversial pesticide.

The bench had imposed the ban on the controversial pesticide, brushing aside the pleas of its manufacturers that they had made huge investments to set up plants to produce it.

The court had banned the manufacture of Endosulfan on a plea by CPI-M's youth wing Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), seeking a country-wide ban on its sale and production in its present form or any other derivatives, contending that a large section of people were directly affected because of its use.

It had also noted that Endosulfan has been already banned in 81 countries.

The petitioner had said several studies had documented that the pesticide could affect human development and gave example of serious health hazards caused in Kerala's Kasaragod district.

According to the petitioner, researchers studying children from an isolated village in Kasaragod district have linked Endosulfan exposure to delays in sexual maturity among boys.