Kerala renews demand for complete ban on Endosulphan

Replying to a calling attention motion in the Assembly to the problems faced by the people due to spraying of Endosulphan in cashew plantations in Kasargod district, Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan said an all-party delegation from the state would soon meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and submit a memmorandum.

He said though the state had repeatedly asked the Centre to ban the use of Endosulphan throughout the country and announce a rehabilitation package for the victims of the state, its response was 'not positive'.

A campaign by various environmental and NGO's in the state was on for a complete ban on the use of Endosulphan due to the large scale environmental and health problems caused by it.

Achuthanandan said the use of Endosulphan in cashew plantations in Kasargod district between 1981 and 2001 had resulted in various types of health-related problems to the people residing in 11 villages.

Following protests by locals, the use and sale of the pesticide was banned in the state in 2004, he said.

Several people had died and many became incapacitated due to the after-effects of the pesticide, which contaminated the water and environment of the area, he said.