Yes, Endosulfan is completely banned in India. And it has been like that since 2011 because back then, the Supreme Court ordered the ban of Endosulfan, not just the sale, but the production of it as well. It’ll likely stay like this for a long time.
First and foremost, for those who know literally nothing about Endosulfan, well, it is a toxic agent in the arsenal of pesticides that were typically used by agricultural producers for the safekeeping of cotton, tea, coffee, and vegetables from insect attacks. This product is chemically classified as one of the group of organochlorines, whose members are known to be persistent in the environment for a long time.
The problem is exactly at that point. After spraying, Endosulfan does not simply disappear; it remains in the soil and water, and thus can infiltrate the food chain. Gradually, it accumulates in animals and people, too. Some research results say it has the potential to bring about health problems such as interference with the hormone system, impairment of the nervous system, and, in severe cases, intoxication.
Why not look at how the country chose to ban Endosulfan, too? Well, back in the days, many health problems were being reported by the people of the Kerala region, especially from a district called Kasargod, at that time, in the 1990s and 2000s. There were kids born with deformities, adults suffering from neurological disorders, and even the villages were infected. The introduction of Endosulfan into nature by aerial spraying over the cashew plantations was the major cause of these health issues, just so you know.
Other than that, specifically, the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants banned the use of endosulfan globally in April 2011. The Supreme Court of India followed suit on 13th May 2011, with a comprehensive prohibition on the production, sales, and usage of endosulfan, just one month after the ban was declared by the Convention.