Amazon, Flipkart & JioMart fined for illegal herbicide sale

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NEW DELHI: Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed penalties of Rs 10 lakh each on Amazon and Flipkart, and Rs 5 lakh on JioMart, for selling and advertising an unregistered agrochemical product.Cyclosinone Herbicide is marketed for preventing and eliminating weeds.CCPA directed the e-commerce marketplaces to discontinue false advertisements and conduct self-audits to identify products that violate the law or pose a risk to life and safety.Proceedings began after the department of agriculture and farmers' welfare forwarded a complaint from Crop Care Federation of India. The department said insecticides and pesticides are regulated under Insecticides Act, 1968, and Insecticides Rules. It said no chemical named Cyclosinone was listed in the Act's Schedule, and the product did not disclose its composition.CCPA rejected the companies' argument that they could not be held responsible for products listed by third-party sellers.