National Convention to Ban Endosulfan

Nksagar -Sagar Media Inc New Delhi : In Kasaragod: on 17th April 2011 hundreds of people including many eminent personalities from all over India, who participated in the national convention organized by the Endosulfan Virudha Samara Samithi (Committee to Protest Against Endosulfan), unanimously voiced that India should ban production and usage of Endosulfan within the country immediately and compensate the victims.The convention started by observing a silent prayer for the 100s of victims who had died because of Endosulfan. P.V Sudheer Kumar while welcoming the gathering mentioned about the need for more struggles considering the seriousness shown by the Central delegation to study endosulfan who visited the district few days back. The delegations spend time roaming around in tourist destinations and returned without visiting a sizeable number of victims and representatives involved with the problem. The convention was attended by representatives of various political parties, elected representatives of local self governments, environmentalists, social activists, doctors etc... K.B.Mohammed Kunhi chairman of the organizing committee as part of the presidential address urged all people to come together for the struggle. The first session started with a Citizens Right Declaration by Shahina an Endosulfan victim. She declared along with hlundreds of people about the shame of India shame of India holding the national flag in their hands. Reknowned environmentalist, Vandana Shiva, while delivering the key note address emphasized that Endosulfan equates with corruption when the nexus of industry, beaurocrats, politicians, scientists etc... through their representative Sharad Pawar, the agriculture Minister of India acts as the biggest stumbling block in Banning Endosulfan nationally and internationally. Sharad Pawar, she said should spend more time on people’s concerns than cricket. It is no wonder that he was rejected by Anna Hazare and the civil society to be part of the anti-corruption bill drafting committee. Continuance of usage of Endosulfan is nothing else but genocide sponsored by the state, she argkued. Leela Kumari Amma who started the fight against Endosulfan was honoured by Vandana Shiva. Leela Kumari Amma mentioned that she was able to sustain the fight only because of the support from many people and organisations since she was getting threats from various quarters. Binoy Vishwam, the forest minister of Kerala, stated that India do not have the right to be the host nation of the World Earth Day program to be held on April 22nd. He conveyed that he has personaly taken up the reallotment of the Plantation Corporation of Kerala’s (PCK) cashew plantation area to the victims of Endosulfan once the lease period is over. Plantation Corporation’s aerial spraying of Endosulfan has resulted in such a catastrophe and this should be one of the way of paying back to the victims. He released the Malyalam and Kannada versions of the Novel “Enmakaje” written by Ambika Sudan Mangad on Endosulfan affected community. P.Karunakaran the CPI(M) Member of Parliament from Kasaragod said Sarad Pawar lied to the Indian Parliament stating that though Kerala and Karnataka has banned Endosulfan, the other states have asked for its continuance. RTI documents obtained have revealed that none of the states have asked for the continuation of Endosulfan usage. Endosulfan companies had recently sponsored the programme “ Road that Indian Agriculture should Take” inaugurated by the Indian President. V.M.Sudheeran, the senior congress leader and ex-MP, said an All Party Delegation from Kerala should move and present the situation in Kasaragod and demand for a ban on Endosulfan and ask for rehabilitation and compensation programmes for the victims. The central and state government should ensure that the PCK and its officials, agricultural department and companies involved should be held accountable and be punished. It is an irony that alcohol tragedy victims get Rs 5,00,000 but Endosulfan victims get only Rs 50,000 as compensation from the government. The list for Endosulfan victims is incomplete as well. Adv. Asif Ali who is fighting a legal battle against Endosulfan said rather than peanuts as relief, the governments should be serious in appointing a tribunal which should function on a time bound banner to look into all aspects of the Endosulfan Disaster and make all violators accountable. CR Neelakantan, social activist, emphasized that a similar kind of COP meeting happening in Geneva were India can take a stand against Endosulfan may not materialize considering the chance of small countries boycotting it. So interventions need to happen at the earliest. Maj.Genl S G Bombadkare of Medha Patker led National Alliance of Peoples Movement mentioned about usage of Endosulfan within Karnataka even when a ban is existing. The member heading the Panel to study the Endosulfan Induced Diseases appointed by Central Insecticides Board was the same person who recommended the usage of Endosulfan. Obviously, the result of the study concluded that diseases existing around PCK localities have no link to Endosulfan. Civic Chandran, noted social activist of Kerala, stated that the civil society movements should collectively intervene more in such issues as collective efforts are yielding results. Jagadish, the representative of the New Socialist Alternative, said that members of his organization is also part of the European Parliament and they can raise the Endosulfan issue internationally. Presenting the Technical and Scientific Validation, Dr.Ravindranath Shanbague, Retd. Professor Kasturba Medical College Manipal, stated that there is more than six hundred international studies to prove Endosulfan causes cancer, genetical problems and infertilities, yet authorities and pesticide lobbies are saying that Endosulfan is not at all dangerous. The lobbies have even managed to prevent ICMR (Indian Council Of Medical Research) from publishing honest scientific report validating the effects of Endosulfan on people and environment which has been done by eminent scientists. He demanded for genetic analysis to be done in each child in Kasaragod and Karnataka to understand the potential of future hazards. Dr.Unnikrishnan, Kasturba Medical College Manipal, presenting international studies, said that Endosulfan is a genotoxic and neurotoxic. He demanded the banning of 18 POP pesticides including Endosulfan and he also demanded the formation of a surveillance center in Kasaragod. The conventions arrived at a set of demands and follow up plans and all present endorsed it. The Samithi will continue its national campaign and initiate a 10 day campaign and protest in Delhi and a “March for Justice” will be done from Kasaragod to Sarad pawar’s home town. On World Earth Day April 22nd will be conducted as “ Toxic Free Day” and also a Velichathinte Uthsavam (Festival of light). The demands include the Ban of Endosulfan by India, Vote of India in Geneva convention, a proper rehabilitation package including all victims based on proper need based categorization to be done immediately, an all party delegation including Endosulfan Virudha Samara Samithi to Delhi for lobbying and advocacy for victims and against Endosulfan to be done immediately, a Tribunal to be set up, guilty to be punished, integrated medical assistance and rehabilitation plan to be implemented without pitfalls, detoxification of the environment to be done, the liabilities of the victims and their families to be written off, PCK land to be given to the landless victims, special cell under a senior IAS officer to be set up in Kasaragod, Multi Speciality Medical College with research option and free health facilities to be set up in the district.