More than 9000 victims of Endosulfan have been indentified in Kasargod district of Kerala alone

New Delhi-
7th April 2011
BAN ON ENDOSULFAN JUSTICE TO THE SURVIVORS
Recognizing the Irreversible public health and ecological disaster
We the following organizations and concerned individuals are alarmed at the impact of spray of Endosulfan in Kasargod. More than 9000 victims of Endosulfan have been indentified in Kasargod district of Kerala alone. Out of which over 4800 patients are bedridden. Over thousand victims of Endosulfan have already died in Kasargod District.
We extend our solidarity and support to the consistent movement of the survivors against Endosulfan during last 14 years under the banner of Endosulfan Spray Protest Action Committee. Which has forced the Kerala Government as well as the Karnataka Government to ban Endosulfan. The development in kerala have also forced the Australian Government to ban Endosulfan. At the same time rehabilitation and compensation to the survivors are still serious issues to be dealt with. As per our understanding the Central government is prepared to take a stand in supporting Endosulfan in the coming Stockholm, UN-Conference in Geneva. Around 20 countries have asked for the ban. 74 countries have already banned Endosulfan sor far. We strongly condemn the stand of Government of India on this issue and demand immediate steps to ban the deadly chemical called Endosulfan which has penetrated to diverse sources of environment.
During the Vietnam war, the American army sprayed the herbicide called Agent Orange on the Vietnamese for a short period of time. Many children of Vietnam are still being born deformed as a result. But in Kasargod, the Plantation Corporation of Kerala sprayed Endosulfan for 25 years and the local people are still suffering in a major maner. We consider this atrocious action as a war on people.
In 1991, as per the Banerjee commission Recommendations, Endosulfan sprays should not be allowed in areas where water bodies exist. However, the spray continued in Kasargod where 13 rivers, supporting streams and other many water bodies existed. As per the arial sprays are concerned, the permission from Civil Aviation Department was required. However, the sprays were executed without such permission. The central Insecticide Board has given as affidavit in the High Court of Kerala that they have not given permission for any areal spray in India since 1993. This is clearly shows that the sprays in kasargod were absolutely illegal. The unholy nexus between the bureaucrats, government institutions and the profit hungry corporate have to be held responsible for the thousands of victims of Endosulfan in Kasargod. Reports have also shown disastrous health effects on local people in Idukki, Palghat and southern parts of Karnataka as a result of spray Endosulfan. It is believed that if proper health studies are executed, the impact of Endosulfan would be extremely shocking and may overtake more dimension of any disaster so far.
We are shocked that instead of stopping the production of banned pesticides, the Government of India itself is involved in the production of these deadly chemicals. The fact that so many countries all over the world have banned these pesticides is enough for the Indian government to ban them.
We express our strong support for the call given by the Endosulfan Spray Protest Action Committe(Kasargod) for a national convention against Endosulfan on April 17, 2011.
We strongly condemn the Central and State Governments, the Corporations who are responsible for the creation of irreparable and serious health disorders of our population. We remind all representatives who contest in this upcoming election that they have a responsibility to protect the health of the people and environment.
We therefore demand..
1-A permanent ban on Endosulfan all over the country before the Stolkholm conference.
2- proper relief, rehabilitation and compensation to the survivors of Endosulfan.
3-Severe action including criminal prosecution of the corporate, central and state Government authorities who were responsible for causing and continuing to cause irreversible health disaster on the victims and their families.
4-A complete review and assessment on the use of chemical pesticides in India by unbiased researchers
(excluding those with Conflict of Interest )
5- A permanent ban of all dangerous chemical pesticides which are already banned in other countries and which have a potential of serious public health and ecological disasters.

All India Drug Action Network
Jan Swasthya Abhiyan
Kriti
Initiative for Health and Equity in Society
INSAF
Medico Friends Circle
Third World Network
Peace
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