Stephan Kayyar
Daijiworld Media Network - Kasargod (RD)
Kasargod, Mar 7: “Both union and state government opened the country for corporate investment,” alleged environmentalist Medha Patkar.
She was speaking after inaugurating a protest rally led by anti-Endosulfan committee here on Tuesday March 6.
“The state government’s stance on the use of deadly Endosulfan insecticide deserves condemnation. The issue of Endosulfan is also a serious one like that of Mullaperiyar Dam, Koodakulam. Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has to visit the Endosulfan affected villages in the district to know the gravity of the situation that is faced by Endosulfan victims. The corporate sector is snatching the rights of ordinary people. There lies no more need for further investigations to be carried out on the Endosulfan tragedy. The government should not make fools of the people. A special tribunal should be formed to provide compensation to Endosulfan victims,” urged Patkar.
She urged the state administration to destroy the stocks of Endosulfan stored in godowns of the plantation department.
A mega protest rally was held from Government College to district headquarters by the activists of different social welfare organizations including local environmentalists on the occasion.
The anti-Endosulfan committee president K B Mohammed Kunhi presided over the protest meet.
MP P Karunakaran, Dr Y S Mohan Kumar, Professor A Gopinat, Narayan Periya, Professor T P Jacob, Basheer Vellikot, Ambikasutan Mangad, Sudhir Kumar, different political party leaders T Krishnan, Karivellur Vijayan, Mahin Kelot, T M A Jaleel, Hameed Mogral, P Ramesh, K P Sasi and others were present at the occasion.
Addressing the media persons at circuit house here on Tuesday, Patkar alleged that both union and state government had caused injustice to Endosulfan victims by not awarding the compensation that was announced by NHRC.
“The struggle will be intensified to get maximum compensation for Endosulfan victims in the coming days. The state administration cannot shirk its responsibility. The state has been conniving with the plantation lobby and manufacturers of Endosulfan,” alleged Patkar.