VS to join agitation by endosulfan victims on Republic Day

Thiruvananthapuram: Opposition Leader V. S. Achuthanandan will be joining the agitation by the Joint Action Council of Victims of Endosulfan before the Chief Minister Oommen Chandy’s official residence on January 26 next year.

The endosulfan victims are planning another round of agitation as the promises given by the government 23 months ago have not been fully met. The victims had staged a dharna before the Chief Minister’s residence on January 26 last year. The stir was settled the next day following talks held by Ministers V. S. Sivakumar, M. K. Muneer and K. P. Mohanan, with the agitators in the presence of Leader of Opposition V. S. Achuthanandan and CPI leader Benoy Viswam.

The demands conceded at that time included compensation to all of around 5000 victims of the spraying of endosulfan by Plantation Corporation of Kerala during the last quarter of 20^th century including those now living outside the 11 directly affected villages. The recommendations of the National Human Rights Commission, which proposed financial assistance for various categories of victims and other measures including those for remediation, were to be fully implemented besides writing off of loans taken by families of victims for medical treatment. The victims suffer from different kinds of diseases including physical deformities and mental problems.

The mothers of endosulfan victims, who plan to offer hunger strike before Mr. Chandy’s residence, say that the promises given by the Ministers had not been carried out. They also want setting up of a tribunal to decide on a compensation package, holding special medical camps to include fresh victims on the official list of victims, pensions for all categories of the victims, restoration of distribution of free medicines, renovation of BUDS special schools for the victims, and early commencement of the work on the proposed medical college in the district.

It may be recalled that Mr. Chandy had visited the endosulfan affected villages after he became the Chief Minister in 2004. However, there was hardly any follow up. Mr. Achuthandnan also did not do much for the victims for two years after he became the Chief Minister in 2006. However, Health Minister P. K. Sreemathy subsequently took some initiatives. When issue of elimination of endosulfan was being discussed at the Conference of Parties to the Stockholm Convention in 2011, Mr. Achuthanandan joined a fast demanding national ban on the pesticide and India’s support for resolution on endosulfan at the Conference. The agitation was called off after the Conference adopted the resolution for phased elimination of endosulfan subject to certain riders.

Mr. Chandy who came to power again in 2011 did take some measures to improve the lot of the victims. However, shortcomings led to the agitation in 2014. The Chief Minister has told the Assembly early this month that the loans taken by families of victims would be waived.

V. S. Achuthanandan on fast demanding ban on endosulfan in 2011 (file photo)

For further reading-- blog published in 2014: Befooling endosulfan victims