Stephan Kayyar
Daijiworld Media Network – Kasargod (EP)
Kasargod, Sep 23: K P Mohanan, Kerala state minister of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry has said that the Endosulfan insecticide lying in
the horticulture godowns will be destroyed before December 12.
He was speaking at the district level Endosulfan cell meet held at the office of the Deputy Commissioner on Monday September 22.
The insecticide will be destroyed by operation Blossom Springs process. "Nearly 1600 liters of Endosulfan is lying in the horticulture godowns of Periya, Rajapuram, Chimeni and others. Besides, 316 liters of Endosulfan held in Palghat and Mannarkad will be transferred to separate barrels. The process will be entrusted to the companies with safe technical know how and it will be destroyed in a space away from the state," he said.
"The cell has decided to call a separate meeting to consider Endosulfan victims in eleven grama panchayat limits and outside them," he added. The meeting decided to distribute compensation and medicine to the victims. It was also decided to call a meeting before October 6 regarding providing of cash aid to the victims.
There are 4182 people in the list of Endosulfan victims, of which 447 are from outside the grama panchayat limits. 258 of them have already been distributed aid. Meanwhile, another meet has been proposed among complaints that many have not received the compensation.
"47 out of 66 Anganwadis as per Endosulfan package project and 33 projects under the hospital development are completed. Four Aurvedic
hospitals and one Homeopathic hospital are completed. One project under the Horticulture department is completed. Out of 55 projects undertaken by the water authority, seven are completed. 21 projects are in different stages. 13 projects will be replaced by alternate projects. 10% of the projects are yet to be started," he said.
It was decided to stress on construction of Buds schools for the children of Endosulfan victims. "The tender process for schools in Kayyur, Periya, Kumbdaje and other places is completed. The tenders for schools in Kallar, Panathadi, Belloor, Perla, Karadka, Muliyaru and Badiadka panchayat limits are prepared," he said.
Kasargod MLA N A Nellikunnu, Manjeshwar MLA P B Abdul Razak, district panchayat president P P Shamaladevi, Deputy Commissioner P S Mohammed Sageer, assistant Deputy Commissioner K Jeevan Babu, cell program manager Dr Mohammed Aseel, Manjeshwar block panchayat president Mumtaz Samira, grama panchayat presidents and other district level officials were present.