Insecticides Body Urges to Take Action Against Illegal Mosquito Repellent

KOCHI:
While India has been battling to control the COVID-19 pandemic, the threat of the vector borne diseases looms large. The onset of monsoon beginning from June to September when mosquitoes are at their peak leading to a rise in the number of dengue and malaria cases. Household insecticides, including mosquito repellent incense sticks are the first line of defence for average consumer.

Home Insect Control Association (HICA), a non-profit industry body of household insecticides sector at Mumbai, urges the government to initiate strict action against manufacturers of spurious and illegal mosquito repellent incense sticks using harmful pesticides. HICA has written to the National Institute of Plant Health Management (NIPHM), at Hyderabad an autonomous body falling under the Department of Agriculture & Co-operation of the Ministry of Agriculture, Govt. of India. HICA requested NIPHM to expedite the testing of samples like Relax, Comfort, Sleepwell, Killer incense sticks, so that immediate action can be taken against the manufacturers of these products. This is to ensure overdue legal actions are firmed up to book the culprits as per law.

Indian households rely on mosquito repellent formats such as liquid vaporisers, coils as well as incense sticks offering protection against mosquitoes. As incense sticks are affordable and are easy to use they are increasingly preferred by the masses. However, many unauthorized manufacturers are now making these incense sticks using harmful chemicals and pesticides that are not approved by the government.

These illegal pesticide-laced mosquito repellent incense sticks are the cause of multiple health disorders such as bronchitis, asthma, reactive airways disease, and other respiratory ailments. Over time, HICA has investigated around 52 different manufacturing units across 12 states like Telangana, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand and Tamil Nadu.

Speaking about the request to the NIPHM, Jayant Deshpande, Secretary & Director, Home Insect Control Association (HICA), said, “Household insecticides manufactured by unscrupulous players do not go through the regulated manufacturing processes and basic checks on safety parameters of skin, eye and respiratory system which is mandated for all home insecticide products.

To eradicate manufacturing and selling of these harmful insecticides, HICA has been urging the Agriculture Ministry to strictly book illegal manufacturers and distributors. Based on the in depth investigation done at costs of HICA inputs have been provided to authorities and accordingly Samples have been drawn by District Agricultural Inspectors and sent to NIPHM for testing. HICA has sought testing reports urgently and expedited legal action against culprit involved. Our intent is to ensure consumer protection by collaborating with authorities to prosecute the illegal manufacturers without any delay.”

Over the past few years, HICA has been raising concerns about proliferation of the illegal incense sticks in different states. The industry body has been in touch with Agricultural departments of states like Telangana, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Assam and Bihar to curb the menace. In the past, District Agricultural Department in different States had taken actions. However, to ensure more visible results in markets. HICA is urging state as well as central government to take stringent action illegal and spurious manufacturers of mosquito repellent incense sticks.