Government submits pesticides bill to parliament

The government has submitted a bill to the People's Majlis regarding pesticides. 

The President's Office stated that the bill is aimed at developing the agriculture industry more sustainably and that it understands the importance of proper regulation on potentially threatening agents such as pesticides to protect Maldivians and the ecology of the islands.

The bill will include standards for the import, use, production, export and proper disposal of pesticides as well as the best practices for the usage of pesticides concerning health, wellness, environmental and ecological conservation.

A specialized Pesticide Unit with a mandate to assist and protect the public from the negative effects and misuse of pesticides would also be brought into existence under this law and will take all the necessary actions and steps to negate safety concerns and promote best practices. The unit would also include a research division with official laboratories to monitor, evaluate and collect data and statistics.

Fines for not complying were also included in the bill ranging between MVR 5,000 and MVR 100,000 depending on the severity of the action.