The Supreme Court of India has asked an expert panel to tell in crystal-clear terms if the use of pesticide endosulfan could be permitted or it would be in greater human benefit to put a complete ban on its use.

A Bench comprised of Justice Madan B. Lokur and Justice Swatanter Kumar asked the expert panel to submit its report within six weeks.

The Supreme Court Bench issued fresh directions after noting that the committee consisted of Director-General of Indian Council for Medical Research, Commissioner of Agriculture, among others, provided no satisfactory answers.

The committee was assigned with the task of conducting scientific study on whether the pesticide cause health, environmental and ecological hazards in August last year.

After getting no satisfactory answers from the committee, the Bench said, "Needless to say that the matter is pending for over a year, we want a definite stand of Union of India."

The interim order banning manufacturing and use of endosulfan pesticide was issued on 13th of May.

The SC also expressed it concern that while use of endosulfan would cause human health crisis, banning it entirely could create economic crisis. As per an estimate, disposing of the existing stocks of the pesticide would require around Rs 1,232 crore.