Endosulfan victims from Kasargod plan to relaunch stir

Endosulfan victims of Kasargod in Kerala are planning to relaunch their stir as the Kerala Government's assurances of including more victims in the official list of endosulfan victims remained unfulfilled even after three months.

Muneesa, an activist who has been fighting for endosulfan victims, said that not a single person has been included so far in the list despite Kerala Government's assurance on February 3.

The endosulfan victims and their parents launched an indefinite strike in front of the Secretariat on January 30. Activist Daya Bhai also participated in the stir. On the fifth day of the stir, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan initiated talks between the government and the representatives of the agitation. He assured that children among 1905 found to be having congenital issues in a screening conducted in 2017 would be immediately included in the list of victims.

"The officials were even maintaining that further medical screenings need to do. But we can't agree to it," said Muneesa.

The authorities were citing technical reasons like a declaration of election for the delay. Since the elections were now over, they are now planning to take up the issue with the Chief Minister and other ministers. If no favourable decision came out, they would launch the stir again, she said.

While Kasargod district collector was not available for comments, a senior official of the Endosulfan Cell at Kasargod district collectorate said that the matter was pending some preliminary verification.

About 6,200 persons were included in the government's official list of endosulfan victims. However, activists estimate that the actual number of victims would be around 10,000. The government is considering only 11 panchayats in Kasargod as endosulfan-affected, as the pesticide was used in the plantations situated only in these panchayats.

However, activists say that the pesticide's effects were spread to areas under nearby panchayaths, taking the total affected panchayats to around 25. Many children in panchayats that were not considered an endosulfan-affected were also found having serious deformities by birth.