Registrar of Pesticides removed with immediate effect

Fired from job

Sri Lanka’s Registrar of Pesticides Dr. J.A. Sumith has been removed from his post with immediate effect and will be subject to disciplinary inquiry, said the Ministry of Agriculture today (23).

In a statement, the Ministry said the decision to remove the Registrar of Pesticides was made because he issued a gazette notification lifting the ban imposed on five pesticides including Glyphosate.

The Gazette to ban the use of five pesticides including Glyphosate was issued on the 22nd of December 2014 (7 years ago).

The Ministry of Agriculture stated that the ban on five pesticides including Glyphosate will remain in effect as per the directives of Minister of Agriculture Mahindananda Aluthgamage.

Accordingly, the gazette notification issued by the Registrar of Pesticides yesterday (22) lifting ban on five pesticides including Glyphosate will be revoked and the previous Gazette will thereby be validated.