In a recent order,the Supreme Court ofIndia directedthe Union government to set upwithin two months a committee todecide on tri-monthly steps toeither ban or restrict use of insecticides and chemical food additiveswhich are hazardous to humanhealth. The court observed thatthough some steps had been takento either ban or allow restrictiveuse of insecticides, there had beenno sustained effort to gather information about the adverse effects ofpesticides and other chemicals. Thecourt also said that the InsecticideAct, 1968, should be amended toallow the government to cancel theregistration ofmanufacturers usinginsecticides in their products.