New Delhi: The Supreme Court has directed the Kerala government to disburse Rs 5 lakh compensation to endosulfan victims within four weeks.
The SC bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud gave the directive while considering a petition which questioned the non-disbursal of compensation despite two court orders on this. The SC granted four weeks as the last opportunity to comply with the order, and has also directed the state to submit a report in court after the compensation amount is disbursed.
The state government had informed the apex court that it has allocated Rs 200 crore for giving the compensation. Of the 6,727 endosulfan victims, 2,966 were yet to get the compensation, as per government records. The affidavit stated that Rs 217 crore would be required for this.
The contempt of court petition was filed by advocate P S Sudheer for the Serve Collective, an association of 12 outfits working for the endosulfan victims.
The endosulfan poisoning of residents of 15 villages in Kasaragod district was caused by prolonged aerial spraying of the pesticide since 1976 in cashew plantations owned by the Plantation Corporation of Kerala. Several people developed mental and physical disorders.
