The Centre on Tuesday urged the Supreme Court to reconsider the interim ban imposed on use of endosulfan as the existing stocks would expire by May posing serious environmental threats.
Additional Solicitor General Gaurav Banerjee told a bench led by Chief Justice Altamas Kabir that a joint experts committee had already recommended for gradual phasing out of the stocks. He submitted that the apex court had banned the use and manufacturing of pesticide endosulfan on May 13, 2011.
By May 13, 2013, the entire stocks would expire which would become an environmental problem, besides it would be a costly exercise to dispose it, ASG said. The bench, comprising Justices J Chelameswar and Vikramjit Sen, said that the court would like to know the stand of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) on the PIL filed by Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) seeking complete ban on the use and manufacturing of the pesticide.
The court issued notice to the CPCB and posted the matter for further hearing on January 19.
He had earlier claimed that destroying those stocks would cost about Rs 1100 crore.
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