Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government has appealed to protesting victims of endosulfan poisoning to end their indefinite stir. However, the protesters have said that they would not end their agitation without getting a solid assurance from the government. Eight families, who have come from Kasaragod to Kerala capital to make their woes heard, vowed they would not return without their demands being met.
The demands of protesters include compensation, upgrading the list of beneficiaries, medical assistance and raising pensions to Rs 5,000. Those protesting outside the secretariat are children and parents of victims not included in the list.
The government has meanwhile called the protesters for talks.
Intensifying their agitation, the protesters on Sunday took out a march to the chief minister’s residence. However, police blocked the protesters at Devaswom Board junction. More than hundred people participated in the march that began from the Secretariat.
They decided to intensify the stir after Kerala Health Minister K K Shylaja said it was not right on part of the endosulfan victims to 'exhibit' their children, suffering the effects of the deadly pesticide, in front of the Secretariat.
“I don't understand what their aim is. Earlier, there were many prominent personalities in the protest, but now there are not many," the minister told the media.
However, social activist Daya Bai, who is staging an indefinite fast at the venue in support of the endosulfan victims, asked where else would the victims go to get what they deserve.
"We have given them all sorts of assistance. We were ready to hold talks. But still they were protesting in front of the secretariat exhibiting children. It's fine with the government when these families have to visit various government offices with these poor children for years to receive compensation. But the same government is sad when we take them to the secretariat asking for compensation," Daya Bai said.
Women and their disabled children, who were born so due to adverse genetic impact on their parents, had begun an indefinite fast in front of the Secretariat on January 30, demanding speedy disbursal of compensation and implementation of the rehabilitation package.
The Supreme Court had in January 2017 directed the Kerala government to disburse compensation and rehabilitation package for endosulfan pesticide victims.
A bench headed by then Chief Justice J S Khehar had ordered the government to provide a compensation of Rs five lakh each to the next of kin of people who died following exposure to the pesticide and those who became bed-ridden or mentally challenged.
Endosulfan, an off-patent organochlorine insecticide and acaricide, was used widely on crops like cashew, cotton, tea, paddy, fruits and others until 2011, when the Supreme Court banned its production and distribution.
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