Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala government on Thursday renewed its demand for a country wide ban on the use of endosulphan pesticide and wanted the Centre to announce a rehabilitation package to a tune of Rs 100 crores to the persons suffering from the ill-effects of ensulphan in the state.
Replying to a calling attention in the assembly to the problems faced by the people due to the usage of endosulphan in Kasargod district, State Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan said an all party delegation from the state would submit to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh a memorandum on the demand soon.
Achuthanandan said though the state had repeatedly asked Centre to ban the use of endosulphan in the country and announce a rehabilitation package to the victims of the state, response of the Centre to state request was not positive.
A campaign by various environmental NGO's in the state was on for a complete ban on the use of endosulphan due to the largescale environmental and health problems caused by the pesticide.
Achuthanandan said the use of endosulphan in cashew plantations in Kasargod district between 1981 to 2001 had resulted in various types of health related problems to the people residing in 11 panchayats.Following protest from local people, the use and sale of the pesticide was banned in the state in 2004 he pointed out.
However, consequences of spraying of the pesticide was still continuing among the population of 11 affected panchayats.
Several people had died and many become incapacitated due to the after-effects of the pesticide, which contaminated the water and environment of the area, he said.
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