Kasaragod is the northern most district in Kerala (India). The district
had cashew plantations extends to about 5600 acres, spreading through
habitations, water bodies and hills in about 11 village panchayaths.
The plantations have been aerially spraying with the chemical pesticide
Endosulfan since 1976, regularly till 2001. Following public out cry
and the intervention from some courts and governments, Endosulfan
spraying was stopped from 2003.
But the Health and Environmental hazards’ suffering by the people
and nature due to the use of Endosulfan in Kasaragod District is a
burning issue for the past few years and is still above. Hundreds
of deaths and disorders reported. Alarmingly high levels of Endosulfan
residues have been detected in the blood and breast milk of villagers
in these area. In the affected areas, it is observed that birds and
butterflies disappeared, fish and frogs in the ponds and streams found
die. Wide spread ailments and serious health problems were reported.
Since 1996, popular agitations in the affected areas erupted against
the apathy towards the victims of Endosulfan. These protests drew
the attention of media and research and environmental organizations
within the country and abroad. As a result of this popular uproar
against the disasters, about various enquiry commissions were appointed
by both State and Central Government to study the subject.
The
Muncif Court of Hosdurg issued a stay on aerial spraying of the pesticide
in Cashew Plantation area on a case filed by Smt. Leelakumari Amma
a victim of this tragedy. The case was later taken to the Kerala High
Court. These series of interventions culminated in the ban of the
spraying of Endosulfan by Kerala High Court in 2002. By this time,
saw some remarkable public efforts were made to address and highlight
the issue. Major political parties and their senior leaders and NGOs
were involved in the issue. Thus the Government of Kerala was forced
to impose a ban on the use of Endosulfan in 2004. Consequently the
Government of India banned the sale and use of Endosulfan in Kerala
from December 2005.
At
the sametime,on the other side, the Kasaragod District Panchayth (A
Local Self Govt. Institution)made significant efforts to give a breath
to the Endosulfan victims. District Panchayath provided relief and
remedial measures,took leadership of public agitation and played the
role as an organisational mediator to Compell the governments to involve
in the issue. As an outbreak of these efforts, the Govt. Kerala appointed
a special wing – Endosulfan Victims Relief and Remediation Cell
– as recommended by the Kasaragod District Panchayat and alloted
Rs.50 lakhs in its annual budget 2006-07. Also the and Govt. distributed
another Rs.89 lakhs to the dependents of 178 deceased persons of Endosulfan
tragedy. This amount is being spent by the Cell and District Panchayat
for providing relief measures to the victims.
Now
the Endosulfan Victims Relief & Remediation Cell and the District
Panchayath brought out a vision document for a comprehensive relief
and rebahiliation system for the Endosulfan affected community in
Kasaragod. We request your esteemed co-operation to fullfill the proposals
of this vision document.
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