Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

VS writes to Manmohan for ban on Endosulfan

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh seeking a ban on the production and use of Endosulfan.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, the Chief Minister said that the sufferings caused by the aerial spraying of the pesticide on the estates of the Plantation Corporation of Kerala were continuing despite the ban on its use there. So far, nearly 300 people had lost their lives and many more faced health problems. The soil and water sources were highly contaminated. Studies indicated that the coming generations too would have to bear the aftermath.

The Chief Minister noted that the State government and the general public had been trying for the ban. However, India had opposed a worldwide ban of the pesticide at the conference of parties of the Rotterdam Convention. At the same time, the manufacturers of Endosulfan were propagating that the campaign against the pesticide by non-governmental and international agencies was illegal and baseless. However, it was evident from the tragedy in Kasaragod district of Kerala that the pesticide caused serious harm. Hence, the Centre should withdraw from its stand against a ban on Endosulfan.

Last week, Forest Minister Benoy Viswom had written to the Union Minister of State for Forest seeking the ban.

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