CHENNAI: Are supermarkets and departmental stores allowed to sell mosquito repellents, cockroach sprays, ant sprays, and rat poison?
While these products have been sold in retail outlets for years, a recent raid by agriculture department officials on Chennai’s outskirts brought attention to a rarely enforced law requiring a specific licence for selling such chemicals.
Last Saturday, a team led by assistant director Amudha inspected a shop in Perungalathur following a complaint to the CM’s Public Grievance Redressal Cell.
The complaint raised concerns over why some retailers were selling pest-control products for domestic use without a licence, while larger chains such as Reliance and More obtained the required licences. This came two weeks after an incident in Kundrathur where two children died due to accidental inhalation of rodenticide used by an unlicensed pest control worker.
Under the Insecticides Act, 1968, retail outlets selling pest-control products for domestic or agricultural use must obtain a licence by paying ₹7,500 online. The licence mandates specific forms, and agriculture officers are authorised to conduct periodic inspections. During the raid, officials found the shop lacked the required licence. However, the Act does not include penal provisions for violators, allowing only for product seizures.
Amudha confiscated pest-control products, including coils and sprays, advising the shopkeepers to halt sales until they obtained the licence. The shopkeepers argued they were unaware of this specific requirement and possessed other valid licences. The seizure led to protests from local traders, who accused the officials of unfair treatment.
“There was no intention to target anyone. We are obligated to address CM cell complaints and provide updates to the district collector during weekly review meetings,” said Saravanan, a quality control officer. He added the licensing process helps ensure quality control.
“Unlike agricultural-use products sold in limited outlets, domestic pest-control products are available in thousands of shops in every district. By registering, we can ensure retailers sell genuine products. Without this, it’s impossible to monitor quality,” he explained.