CEJ files petition against importation of glyphosate

An environmental organization today filed a Fundamental Rights petition in Supreme Court seeking an order suspending the operation of Gazette notification issued to import pesticide glyphosate.

An Extraordinary Gazette notification had been issued allowing the importation of pesticide glyphosate with effect from 05 August 2022.

The petitioners, the Centre for Environmental Justice and its directors are seeking an order directing the authorities to formulate an action plan to phase out pesticides, glyphosate and other agrochemicals within 6 months. 

President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Registrar of Pesticides, Minister of Agriculture, Minister of Health and Indigenous Medical Services, Director General of Health Services, Central Environmental Authority and Attorney General were named as the respondents in the petition. 

The petitioners state that the frequent and indiscriminate application of highly hazardous pesticides and herbicides in high concentrations has been often irrational and posed serious health and financial 

risks to the farmers. Pesticides and agro chemicals applied to crops can find their way into food chains in several ways. The petitioners stated that there are possibilities of contamination of animal products by various agro chemicals, especially in the upcountry due to insufficiency of grazing lands.

The petitioners state that the lifting of the ban imposed on Glyphosate by President Ranil Wickremesinghe and the failure of the other respondents in regulating the use of herbicides, pesticides and other agrochemicals has resulted in actions harmful to the health and lives of the citizens and future generations and the same have already been recorded in various studies.

This petition had been filed through Attorney-at-law Ravindranath Dabare.(Lakmal Sooriyagoda)