Kerala’s Left Front calls shutdown for endosulphan ban
April 26th, 2011 - 8:35 pm ICT by IANSThiruvananthapuram, April 26 (IANS) Kerala’s ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) has called for a state-wide shutdown Friday to protest the central government’s stand not to clamp a ban on pesticide endosulphan, blamed for many deaths in the state.
Announcing the decision Tuesday, LDF convenor Vaikom Viswan said that the front decided to call the shutdown - the 10th during its tenure - to protest the Indian government’s stand on endosulphan at the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, which began in Geneva Monday.
India has decided it would not support a call for a ban on the pesticide during the April 25-29 convention.
“The conference ends Friday and hence we decided to express our protest against the centre’s stand not to ask for a ban at the ongoing conference. It appears the centre is more concerned about the ‘health’ of multinational companies and not the real health of people of this country,” said Viswan.
“We request the people to cooperate with the shutdown. All essential services would be allowed to function and so would two-wheelers,” he added.
Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan Monday staged a seven-hour fast to demand a nation-wide ban on endosulphan.
About 500 deaths since 1995 in 11 villages have been officially acknowledged as related to the spraying of endosulfan, whose use on the estates of state-owned Plantation Corporation of Kerala (PCK) in Kasargode district began in the early 1970s and continued till 2001.
Unofficial estimates put the deaths since the late 1970s to around 4,000.
Meanwhile, attacking the Left for the shutdown call, state Congress chief Ramesh Chennithala termed its shutdown plans as nothing but a cheap political gimmick.
“It was our government that banned the use of endosulphan in the state. And for the past five years, the Achuthanandan government did not do anything in the state to enforce the ban and now at the fag end of their term, they have come out with yet another gimmick. We wish to hear from Achuthanandan, what he has to say, on his party ruled West Bengal not banning it,” he added.
- Left to continue protests till endosulfan is banned - May 02, 2011
- Achuthanandan stages fast for ban on toxic pesticide - Apr 25, 2011
- Kerala observes shutdown to demand endosulfan ban (Lead) - Apr 29, 2011
- Kerala to mark April 25 as anti-endosulphan day - Apr 20, 2011
- India should support global ban on endosulphan: Congress - Apr 19, 2011
- Kerala math announces relief package for pesticide victims - Dec 09, 2010
- Shutdown hits life in Kerala - Apr 29, 2011
- Anti-endosulfan shutdown hits normal life in Kerala - Apr 29, 2011
- Kerala to seize endosulfan stocks - May 23, 2011
- Kerala LDF opposes sanction to new CBSE schools - Jun 20, 2011
- Kerala CM Achuthanandan on day-long fast for ban on endosulfan - Apr 25, 2011
- Ban endosulfan: Environmentalists - Apr 18, 2011
- Many in Kerala still drink water containing endosulphan - Nov 12, 2010
- Supreme Court moved on endosulfan ban - Apr 26, 2011
- NHRC to raise issue of harmful effect of pesticide in Kerala (Lead, Changing dateline) - Dec 18, 2010
Tags: chief minister, congress chief, convenor, endosulfan, essential services, fag end, indian government, kerala, ldf, multinational companies, pck, persistent organic pollutants, political gimmick, ramesh chennithala, real health, state congress, stockholm convention on persistent organic pollutants, unofficial estimates, v s achuthanandan, vaikom