‘Permanent shelter planned for endosulfan victims’

A permanent shelter for victims of endosulfan poisoning is being planned on five acres of land in Senapura village in Nada, District In-charge Minister Jayamala said.

“But a minimum of 10 acres of land is needed for establishing a centre providing world-class rehabilitation facilities on the lines of centres in Dubai,” Jayamala said and directed the deputy commissioner to submit a proposal at the earliest.

Presiding over a meeting on Endosulfan in Zilla Panchayat here, on Saturday, She lamented that no action was taken against those who had committed the crime of spraying the pesticide on cashew plantations for many years.

The hazardous pesticide causes crippling deformities even in the foetus. She promised to solve many problems faced by the endosulfan victims and their caretakers at the grass-root level.

Jayamala also favored a joint meeting to identify the endosulfan victims in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttar Kannada and Kasargod (Kerala) districts. The endosulfan victims will be compensated and rehabilitated.

“I will also like to visit the homes of endosulfan victims and familarise myself with the conditions of the victims,” she said.

The minister was also in favour of conducting the meeting once in three months. Asha and Anganawadi workers should be trained to identify the victims.

She said there was no dearth of funds for setting up treatment and skill training centres for the endosulfan victims. She said even experts can be invited to treat the victims from different places.