Agri Bio Security Bill Proposed to Control Pesticide Trade

Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture has invited suggestions, views, and comments of Experts/Stakeholders/ individuals/ institutions/ organizations interested on the Agricultural Biosecurity Bill 2013. The Committee is chaired by Basudeb Achariya, Member of Parliament.

The Agricultural Biosecurity Bill 2013 proposes:

a. integration of plant and quarantine services;

b. establishment of an Authority for prevention, control, eradication and management of pests and diseases of plants and animals and unwanted organisms for ensuring agricultural biosecurity;

c. to meet international obligations or India for facilitating imports and exports of plants, plant products, animals, animal products, aquatic organisms and regulation of agriculturally important micro-organisms;

d. prevention and control of pest infestation or infection, including declaration of an area as “controlled area” for this purpose and measures for control of such infestation or infection;

e. provision for infection, taking samples, entry and search of premises, checking of conveyances to ensure compliance of phytosanitary and sanitary measures and also seizure, treatment and disposal of plants, animals and their products to prevent spread of pests by designated officers;

f. declaration of biosecurity emergency in case of outbreak of organisms threatening biosecurity and actions and procedures to deal with it;

g. removal of plant, animals, their products and other objects imported in violation of the provisions of the proposed legislation.

The text of the Bill as introduced in the Parliament is available on the website http://www.parliamentofindia.nic.in under the heading ‘Legislation’. A copy of the Bill may also be obtained from the Committee on Agriculture Branch, Room Nos.614/616, Parliament House Annexe, New Delhi-110001.

All those who are interested in submitting written memorandum may send two copies thereof either in English or Hindi to the Deputy Secretary (AGR), Lok Sabha Secretariat, Room No. 616, Parliament House Annexe, New Delhi – 110001, Tel: 23034042, Fax: 23018865, e-mail: agricom@sansad.nic.in.

Those who wish to appear before the Committee, besides submitting memoranda, are requested to specifically indicate so. However, the Committee’s decision in this regard shall be final.

The Committee has clarified that the memoranda submitted to the Committee would form part of the records of the Committee and would be treated as strictly ‘Confidential’ and not circulated to anyone.

[Source: PIB (MoA) Press Release dated 3^rd June 2013]