Minister of state for agriculture, consumer affairs, food and public distribution, Prof K V Thomas in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha on CSE’s report also stated that the European Union had banned the export of honey from India, on account of positive detection of heavy metals and other contaminants, reported in the Residual Monitoring Plan.
The Government of India (GoI) had directed the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) to analyse the study done by the Centre for Science and Environment on the presence of antibiotics in honey sold commercially. The action came after the GoI took cognizance of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) study stating presence of antibiotics in 12 brands of honey sold across the country. 12 brands of honey tested, of which two were International brands, were found to contain antibiotics from the banned Chloramphenicol to the broad spectrum Ciprofloxacin and Erythromycin.
Since the Government of India directed the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), in December last year, to revise its standards for honey only two meetings have been held.
Following the CSE study, the Rajya Sabha – in the parliament's winter session in 2010 – raised the issue of antibiotics in honey. The then minister of state for agriculture, consumer affairs, food and public distribution, K V Thomas, in a written reply to the parliament acknowledged the fact that the European Union had banned the export of honey from India on account of positive detection of heavy metals and other contaminants.
India regulates its pesticides under the Insecticides Act 1968. This Act, however, hasn’t been able to stop the pesticides from contaminating the environment and having a deleterious impact on health. THe Insecticides Act 1968 will be replaced by the Pesticides Management Bill 2008. A lot of hopes were pinned on the Pesticides Management Bill 2008, but the bill hasn't been able to make human and environmental health a priority. CSE has extensively worked on impacts of pesticides and their environmental and human health impacts and it is in this light that CSE makes a few recommendations.
Sri Lanka has becomes the latest country to introduce lead in paints standards. The Consumer Affairs Authority published a Gazette order on September 30, 2011 regulating permissible maximum lead content on paints and accessories. It shall come into force from January 1, 2013.
Location: CSE, New Delhi Scale: Institutional Implementing organisation: CSE and Vijay Vigyan Foundation, New Delhi
Last week the Hindustan Times ('Huda picks holes in CSE sewage report' dated 03.05.2012) quoted a HUDA chief engineer in Panchkula as saying that most figures in CSE's report pertaining to Gurgaon were factually incorrect. The only correction issued by the anonymous official was that the 2021 water requirement would be 918.75 million litres per day (MLD), through its two dedicated canals — Gurgaon Water Supply Channel and NCR canal.
70 per cent milk samples collected across the country by food safety authority did not conform to standards The results of a first-of-its-kind survey on milk by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) reveal something startling—most Indians are consuming detergents and other contaminants through milk.
Dr. Suresh Kumar Rohilla Programme Director Email: srohilla@cseindia.org Sushmita Sengupta Deputy Programme Manager Email: sushmita@cseindia.org Mob: +91-9899928837
Wetlands are vital sponges in the city. They prevent flood and recharge groundwater. Along with being an aesthetic entity, they provide social, economic and environmental beneficiaries. They improve the quality of water and also sustain the surrounding diverse flora and fauna (aquatic and wild life habitat). Being rich in nutrients, they provide a diverse and productive ecosystems for the natural environment to survive. Wetlands have always been critical for Indian cities. Every city gave its land for rain.
Lessons from Multi-Level Parking in Delhi CSE calls for end to parking subsidies, an effective increase in parking charges, stringent enforcement and high penalties for violations. Read full Report (pdf)