Kerala government to re-examine 1,031 excluded endosulfan victims in Kasargod

Thiruvananthapuram: Offering a new hope for justice, the Kerala government on Tuesday said details of 1,031 people who were excluded from the endosulfan victims' list in Kasargod district will be re-examined and those found eligible will be included in the final list.

This was announced by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan here at a meeting that discussed the rehabilitation measures for endosulfan victims.

Hundreds of people in Kasargod were affected by endosulfan, a toxic pesticide used in cashew plantations, leading to severe health issues and disabilities. The victims and their families have been fighting for justice and compensation.

According to a release issued by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) here, the 1,031 people who were included in the primary list of 2017 will be re-examined to determine the reasons for their exclusion.

"The government will re-examine their cases and add those who qualify to the list. The Chief Minister has directed to set up medical camps in different areas to provide necessary medical help. Based on this, the final list will be prepared and published by the endosulfan Cell by the end of September," it said.

The release said a field-level examination of 20,808 people is currently underway.

The examination is being conducted in three phases. The first phase of field examination for 6,202 people has been completed. The primary medical examination in the second phase and the medical board examination in the third phase will be completed by August 31.

It said the Chief Minister has instructed to provide special care and protection to children with disabilities born after October 25, 2011.

"The Central government had stopped providing funds for free treatment to endosulfan victims, but now it will be included in the Kasargod development package," the release said.

It further said this year, the state government has allocated Rs 2.5 crore to provide timely assistance to endosulfan victims without any delay.

"The process of providing this amount has already started. It has been decided to provide the amount without any financial constraints, on a priority basis," the release said.

The meeting noted that although the Muliyar Rehabilitation Village has started functioning, it is not yet fully equipped and decided to appoint therapists there to provide care for 30 people per day.

The release said that 10 Buds schools have been taken over and upgraded to a model child rehabilitation centre (MCRC).

"The Chief Minister has instructed to start a day care centre in each panchayat and to operate it with public participation," it added.