Kasaragod: Nearly a week after families of suspected endosulfan victims- left out of the government's final list- staged a sit-in outside the District Collector's chamber, the state Cabinet on Wednesday cleared financial aid for those found eligible among them.

In its official note, the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Cabinet authorised the Kasaragod District Collector K Inbasekar to disburse financial assistance to 1,031 "eligible" persons who were included in the preliminary list but later dropped from the final one.

This Cabinet decision comes more than a year after the Chief Minister, on July 10, 2024, said in the Assembly that "steps had been taken to include 1,031 endosulfan-affected persons under the Kasaragod Development Package and provide them assistance".

The issue dates back to 2017, when special medical camps identified 1,905 residents as potential victims of endosulfan poisoning from aerial spraying over cashew plantations. But the collectorate later recognised only 287 patients as "endosulfan-affected", entitling them to state support for treatment, medicines, and compensation.

The exclusion of nearly 85 per cent of the patients triggered widespread protests across the district. In 2018, following a review, 76 more names were added. Yet, anger simmered. Activists such as Daya Bai joined families protesting outside the Secretariat in 2019, demanding inclusion for all affected. The then Health Minister, K K Shailaja, remarked that the protests amounted to "parading" sick children. Daya Bai hit back, saying it was the minister's guilt speaking.

After relentless agitation, the government relented- bringing 511 minors under the official list and granting them free treatment. That left 1,031 patients outside the safety net. Their families held an indefinite protest in front of the Kanhangad mini civil station, meeting the Chief Minister and senior officials multiple times over four months.

It was against this backdrop that the Chief Minister made the announcement in the Assembly last year.

District Collector K Inbasekar said he would respond to the official press note after receiving official communication from the government. It remains unclear whether the administration will extend aid to all 1,031 or conduct yet another round of screening to decide who qualifies as "eligible".