ENDOSULFAN NOT CAUSING HEALTH PROBLEMS IN KASARGOD--CENTRAL GOVERNMENT

ENDOSULFAN NOT CAUSING

 HEALTH PROBLEMS IN KASARGOD

                            CENTRAL GOVERNMENT TO SUPREME COURT

New Delhi: The central government on Tuesday,2^nd, August,2011, informed the Supreme Court that the endosulfan is not the reason for the problems in Kasargod and there is no need to impose an immediate ban on the pesticide. In the affidavit submitted by Vandana Jain for union agricultural ministry, it stated that aerial spraying of endosulfan through helicopter without permission caused the problems. It also said the pesticide was banned in countries with less farming and in others, the ban was imposed only on the basis of doubts. Needed is to reduce the use of endosulfan in the coming 11 years and there is no need for an immediate ban.

Action would be taken only after getting the report from the recently appointed expert committee. The report submitted by National Institute of Occupational Hazards was not complete.The affidavit also pointed out that the studies conducted by WHO in 2006 also gave clean chit to the pesticide. The apex court was considering a petition filed by the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), a youth wing of CPM seeking an immediate ban on the use and production of endosulfan pesticide in the country

  Leader of the opposition V.S Achuthandan has taken strong exception to the central governments submission before the supreme court that endosulfan need be banned only over the coming 11 years. Leader of the opposition in a statement on Tuesday,2nd August,2011 said the central governments affidavit in this regard was a challange to the international community. India had all along lobbied against a ban on endosulfan at the Geneva Convention despite a large majority of nations demanding its ban...
   The national Human Rights Commission had submitted a report to the central government on the tragedy wrought by endosulfan and sought payments of adequate compensation to the  victims. the centres affidavit before the supreme court tended to challenge even the findings of the Commission. The opposition leader asked the state government to join  as a party in the case before the supreme court and file  an affidavit contradicting the stand taken by the central government on the endosulfan issue.. 

                                                                          Prof. John Kurakar