Kerala to mark April 25 as anti-endosulphan day
April 20th, 2011 - 5:06 pm ICT by IANS
Thiruvananthapuram, April 20 (IANS) Ahead of an international convention in Switzerland, Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan Wednesday said the state will observe anti-endosulphan day on April 25.
The announcement comes a day after the main opposition Congress urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to ensure that India supports the global ban on endosulphan at the Stockholm Convention on persistent organic pollutants to be held in Geneva April 25-29.
“An all-party delegation led by Health Minister P.K. Sreemathi would request Manmohan Singh to see that endosulphan is banned in the country,” said Achuthanandan.
The use of endosulfan at the estates of state-owned Plantation Corporation of Kerala (PCK) in Kasargode district began in the early 1970s and continued till 2001.
About 500 deaths since 1995 have been officially acknowledged to be related to the spraying of endosulfan in about 11 villages. Unofficial estimates put the deaths since the late 1970s at around 4,000.
“The long standing request of a financial assistance and a rehabilitation package for the victims of endosulphan is yet to be granted by the centre. We are now told a new study team from Delhi is to arrive in the affected areas. In the past one decade several studies have been conducted. This is not acceptable and deplorable that yet another team is coming,” said Achuthanandan.
At least 81 countries have banned the chemical. Kerala and Karnataka have also banned endosulfan.
- Achuthanandan stages fast for ban on toxic pesticide - Apr 25, 2011
- Kerala's Left Front calls shutdown for endosulphan ban - Apr 26, 2011
- India should support global ban on endosulphan: Congress - Apr 19, 2011
- Kerala observes shutdown to demand endosulfan ban (Lead) - Apr 29, 2011
- Kerala math announces relief package for pesticide victims - Dec 09, 2010
- Kerala to seize endosulfan stocks - May 23, 2011
- Kerala cancels licence to endosulfan factory - May 27, 2011
- Endosulfan can be phased out early if alternative found: Ramesh - May 03, 2011
- Kerala CM Achuthanandan on day-long fast for ban on endosulfan - Apr 25, 2011
- Left to continue protests till endosulfan is banned - May 02, 2011
- NHRC to raise issue of harmful effect of pesticide in Kerala (Lead, Changing dateline) - Dec 18, 2010
- Shutdown hits life in Kerala - Apr 29, 2011
- Achuthanandan flays central minister over pesticide - Oct 26, 2010
- Many in Kerala still drink water containing endosulphan - Nov 12, 2010
- Sushma Swaraj backs endosulfan ban - Apr 28, 2011
Tags: 1970s, deaths, decade, delegation, endosulfan, financial assistance, geneva, global ban, health minister, kerala chief minister, manmohan, manmohan singh, opposition congress, pck, persistent organic pollutants, prime minister manmohan, prime minister manmohan singh, stockholm convention on persistent organic pollutants, unofficial estimates, v s achuthanandan