RSS-affiliated body demands ban on glyphosate

The RSS-affiliated SJM on Sunday demanded ban on use of glyphosate, a commonly used herbicide, which it claimed to be carcinogenic.

Swadeshi Jagran Manch's co-convener Ashwani Mahajan said soon the organisation will approach Home Ministry and will submit a memorandum in this regard.

In 2015, International Agency for Research in Cancer (IARC), a body under the World Health Organization, had found in its research that glyphosate is probably carcinogenic, Mahajan said.

He further said glyphosate is an active ingredient in Monsanto's RoundUp and risk of cancer increases by 41 per cent due to glyphosate.

People around the world are reeling under the risk and suffering due to glyphosate, Mahajan said, adding that the makers of weed killers with glyphosate as main ingredient are not ready to accept the fact.

Despite being convicted by the court every time, they continue with legal appeals due to their strong financial muscles, he said.

After being clinically proved that glyphosate causes cancer, many countries have taken a decision to ban it, Mahajan said.

According to SJM, the sale of glyphosate has been prohibited in Punjab, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

In many states, there has been a demand to ban the glyphosate by bringing central government as an authority to initiate action, he said.

The central government hasn't initiated the process yet, Mahajan said.