Daijiworld Media Network – Kasargod (SP)

Kasargod, Jan 3: The residents of the district, who have seen the extent of destruction and pain let lose by the use of endosulfan, an insecticide-cum-acaricide, on the people here, had been suffering setbacks one after the other over the last some decades, as successive teams deputed by the central government had submitted reports favouring continuance of endosulfan as an affective insecticide. The fighters have now got a shot in the arm in the form of a recommendation made by the Naitonal Human Rights Commission to enforce a nationwide ban on this insecticide.

It may be recalled that endosulfan, which was sprinkled through helicopters over cashew plantations of Kerala and Karnataka to control insects till two decades ago, had heaped miseries on labourers and those living near these plantations, in the form of various side effects including deaths, diseases, and disabilities.

In a report submitted to the government, head of the commission, Justice K G Balakrishnan, has recommended for payment of compensation at the rate of five lac rupees for each of the deceased, and three lac rupees in the case of those who suffered disabilities. Another recommendation of the commission to the union government is to open special palliative care centres equipped with ambulances and other aides, for attending to the sufferers of endosulfan use.

The commission has said in its report that that 561 people have died because of endosulfan use, while over 6,000 have been suffering from the after-effects of the use of this insecticide. It has sought compliance report from the government in eight months.

It may be recalled that Justice K G Balakrishnan had recently visited the endosulfan-effected regions in the district, met the families, talked to them, and collected details.