Endosulfan bares its fangs in Bhatkal

The ill-effects of the pesticide sprayed in cashew plantations have disabled a number of people in several villages of the taluk.

Endosulfan is being used in hundreds of acres of plantations of the Karnataka Cashew Development Authority since 1975, according to people in the villages. It was sprayed with the help of helicopters twice in 1985.

More than 10 people have been rendered disabled in the Belake Gram Panchayat limits. The number is as high as 1,300 in the entire Bhatkal taluk.

Only a detailed study will confirm whether these people are victims of endosulfan or other reasons. But not many people in the villages seem to be aware of endosulfan or the controversy raging over it. When the pesticide was sprinkled in the plantations, none was allowed to come out of his or her house. Even if one came out, one was asked to cover the faces with cloth.

Many people said they were not aware of what sort of pesticide it was.  Even the agriculture department has no proper information about the pesticides being sprinkled. Information about endosulfan being sprayed in the plantations of Kundapura and Bhatkal came to light when a person from the Dakshina Kannada district filed an RTI application.

Many feel that this establishes that the pesticide is the cause for the disabilities in many people. The locals are demanding that the health department should, at least now, wake up and help the victims.