Business Standard, 17 Sep 2018
The Supreme Court on Monday sought a response from Centre on a plea for a ban on 85 pesticides since these were banned in other countries but were allowed in India, posing a serious health hazards to farmers. A bench of Justice Arun Misra and Justice Vineet Saran issued notice to the Centre and others on a plea by one Kavita Kuruganti who said that the continued use of "deadly pesticides" is a major threat to the right to life of farm workers and farmers. Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the petitioner, argued for empowering the states to take decisions at their own level for prohibition and restriction related to pesticides.