From the mid 1970s, the pesticide Endosulfan has been aerially sprayed in cashew nut plantations covering several villages in Kasargod District, Kerala. And from then about 500 deaths have been officially acknowledged as related to the spraying of Endosulfan and unofficial estimates put the total number of deaths since the late seventies around 4000. The insect killer was sprayed aerially with in particular used helicopters. As the plantations are mostly in mountainous areas, the pesticide drains and gets washed down the slopes during rains into drinking water below. Consuming this water will result in diseases ranging from physical deformities, cancers, birth disorders and damages to brain and nervous system. In 2001, in Kerala, endosulfan was banned, yet under pressure from the pesticide industry this ban was largely revoked. The situation there has been called "next in magnitude only to the Bhopal gas tragedy”.
The study of Endosulfan effects showed larger abnormality such as mental retardation, cancer and infertility in the victims (humans and animals). But the pesticide and fertilizer industries disagreed with the studies. It’s clear that the usage of the Pesticide in the Kerala government owned cashew plantation was a result of political play between Government officials and Pesticide industries. It’s not only Kerala that faced the negative impacts of Endosulfan but in many villages in Karnataka also the same issues been raised resulting in state wise ban of this harmful chemical. But still Central government finds it safe to support the usage of this killer pesticide in our agricultural lands!!!! This Pesticide is still used for cotton and Cashew plantations in many states like Punjab, Assam and Andhra Pradesh.
Don’t you think it as clear mockery on us, declaring so loud that the government don’t care a damn about the life of poor farmers??? Do these greedy politicians let there children live in such an environment??
In kerala, thousands have been affected with severe neurological and congenital deformities, as a result of 20 years of Endosulfan use. Ten years ago, Kerala banned endosulfan. In December, the National Human Rights Commission expressed its support for a countrywide ban but still nothing happened.
In the international scenario, with 63 countries already banned and 12 countries (including US) which never allowed this pesticide to be even tried in their farms, India stand up loudly support this poison !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Don’t you feel ashamed of being an Indian?? I do feel...
India accounts for 70 percent of the global production and consumption of this pesticide and try to show the world that this pesticide is harmless.
Last day a group of ministers from Kerala discussed the issue with our PM, requesting him to support the worldwide ban of this poisonous pesticide in the international convention. The PM replied that there is not much evidence to show the harmful effects of this pesticide and he received a mail from a MP(he don’t want to disclose his name) saying that Kerala government have some personal interest in this ban which needs some clarification and investigation!!!!!!!!
When will our politicians at least PM, learn not to drag silly party fights when discussing about an issue that deals with people’s safety, health and life????? What more evidence he needs than the 1000s of people who suffer and die like earth worms…children who are born and exist like vegetables…
Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar also stands straight supporting this poison …He wants to conduct a study by ICMR before he agree or understand the issue ….So what about 16 similar exercises in the last 10 years by various international and national medical organisations including ICMR on Endosulfan's impact ???
What about the report submitted in 2002 which he rejected without much reason simply supporting the endosalphan lobby?? Forgotten so fast????
Yesterday Secretary-General of the Consortium of Indian Farmers' Associations (CIFA), P. Chengal Reddy, who is famous as a lobbist in this issue, said in an interview that, they have discussed the issue with Sharad Pawar and Pawar have already given the promise that the government will never support the ban. They have also sent a mail to PM asking him not to support the ban of endosulphan in Stockholm convention. He also openly declared that government is not going to give a damn about Kerala nor damn Kasargod!!!!!!!!!!!
Is it about a state??? Is it about who rules a state that decides the support of PM to an issue like this? What should we call the government when some one like Chengal Reddy (who is also a close friend of Pawar) could announce a decision like this with such an ease and arrogance??
Today, on 25th April, world is going to decide if we all want Endosulphan or not. In India , where 1000s children exists with incurable birth disorders and physical deformities because of Endosulphan , where 1000 s of people are suffering from cancer, reproductive problems, permanent brain and nerve damage because of Endosulphan , should we stand supporting it??? Are we supporting the creation and existence of a new generation with permanent birth disorders???
I, as a citizen of India, don’t know what I should do individually to stop this mockery of justice…But please let us don’t be unaware about what’s happening around us…Let us not just discuss only about World cup and IPLs …
To support this cause please check http://www.endosulfan.in/#home
*As per Wikipedia, Endosulfan is an off-patent organochlorine insecticide and acaricide. This colourless solid has emerged as a highly controversial agrichemical due to its acute toxicity, potential for bioaccumulation, and role as an endocrine disruptor. Banned in more than 63 countries, including the European Union, Australia and New Zealand, and other Asian and West African nations, and being phased out in the United States,Brazil and Canada. It is still used extensively in many other countries including India and China. It is produced by Bayer CropScience, Makhteshim Agan, and Government-of-India–owned Hindustan Insecticides Limited among others. Endosulfan is one of the most toxic pesticides on the market today, responsible for many fatal pesticide poisoning incidents around the world. Endosulfan is also a xenoestrogen—a synthetic substance that imitates or enhances the effect of estrogens—and it can act as an endocrine disruptor, causing reproductive and developmental damage in both animals and humans. Because of its threats to the environment, a global ban on the use and manufacture of endosulfan is being considered under the Stockholm Convention.
**The international meeting on POP chemicals (Stockholm convention, Conference of Parties) is to be held in Geneva on 25th of April.
