Left to continue protests till endosulfan is banned
May 2nd, 2011 - 11:55 pm ICT by IANSThiruvananthapuram, May 2 (IANS) The ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Kerala Monday evening decided to continue its protests against endosulfan and pressure the central government to ensure that the killer pesticide is banned.
Addressing reporters after a meeting here, LDF convenor Vaikom Viswan said that despite a call for global ban on the pesticide that has come from the Geneva meeting, the centre’s stand is not that positive.
“We appeal to the centre to stop playing games on this issue and see that the ban is enforced without wasting any more time. We will continue to exert pressure on the centre,” said Viswan.
The LDF last week called for a state-wide shutdown to protest the central government’s stand not to ban endosulphan, blamed for many deaths of farmers in the state.
At Monday’s meeting, the LDF decided to ask the central government to announce a special package for all endosulfan victims in the state.
About 500 deaths since 1995 in 11 villages in Kasargode district have been officially acknowledged as related to the spraying of endosulfan on crops. Unofficial estimates put the deaths since the late 1970s at around 4,000.
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- Kerala to mark April 25 as anti-endosulphan day - Apr 20, 2011
- Kerala CM Achuthanandan on day-long fast for ban on endosulfan - Apr 25, 2011
- Shutdown hits life in Kerala - Apr 29, 2011
- Kerala LDF opposes sanction to new CBSE schools - Jun 20, 2011
- Kerala math announces relief package for pesticide victims - Dec 09, 2010
- NHRC to raise issue of harmful effect of pesticide in Kerala (Lead, Changing dateline) - Dec 18, 2010
- Kerala cancels licence to endosulfan factory - May 27, 2011
- Supreme Court moved on endosulfan ban - Apr 26, 2011
- Achuthanandan flays central minister over pesticide - Oct 26, 2010
- Sushma Swaraj backs endosulfan ban - Apr 28, 2011
- Kerala to seize endosulfan stocks - May 23, 2011
- Apex court asks government to respond to endosulphan makers - Jul 15, 2011
Tags: 1970s, central government, crops, deaths, endosulfan, farmers, geneva, global ban, ldf, pesticide, playing games, protests, unofficial estimates