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  • Category: General
    Points:1

    Endosulfan Disaster in Kerala-Who is Responsible? Active Discussion

    The facts remains is that Endosulphan has caused disaster in kerala. Ban of Endosulphan will remain in paper as long as the whole world realizes that this deadly poison is a challenge to the whole humanity. The government who is responsible to give protection to its citizens has failed to do so. The situation in kerala has become more pathetic while the politicians are playing the cards by taking advantage of the news that Endosulphan is banned globally. The ban of Endosulphan has come into cat with the real time active protest from the social activists and real human beings who care for others. On the other hand, the political parties in kerala is now sharing the credit of the global ban of Endosulphan.

    Let us discuss who is really responsible for the endosulphan disaster in kerala. Be a part of this active discussion sharing your real-time thoughts. Most active participants will be given cash rewards.

    Raise our voice for a better cause.
  • #3753

    Points:5
    In my view Govt. is responsible for the disaster, which tooks away thousands of lives and made another thousands lives worst than death. The govt. should have listen when people of kerala cries for help. But government really failed to do what they are made for. They never tried to help the victms.

    It was very late, when humans realized that Endosulphan is no longer safe for the existence of life. Instead of killing pests and insects they started killing humans.

    They came forward to aware government about the problem. But private pesticide manufacturers tried to pull curtain to the eyes of govt. And they win in making them belive that Endosulphan is 100% safe.

    If our government ever tries to know the hazards of Endosulphan at the early stage, I am sure that the situation couldn't have been so pathetic. So I blame govt. for what they have made.
    Even at this stage they are saying that a complete ban is possible only after 11 years. I cannot agree with their stand in this problem.

  • #3756

    Points:5
    It is pretty easy to put the responsibility of the whole disaster on government. I wont say that our government was perfect to give a 'Endosulphan' like pesticide in the hands of our poor farmers. ( We should never forget the Controversial stand India took in Stockholm convention ). But what I would like to point here is the initial stages of the disaster when it just started to come out lightly.
    In our kasargode, first when abnormal diseases was appeared in children common people believed it to be a curse. And the 'curse' left no family in nearby five or six wards. Mental retardation in children, cancer in young men became common affair. Even after the first scientific study, assumption came as 'water pollution problem'. Within days cows in the area also started getting the 'curse' to give birth to unnatural calves. It was then questions started arising against aerial spraying. (still only aerial spraying ,not endosulphan!) .Again after some days doctor's started raising question against the new aerial spraying pesticide - endosulphan. Collector responded - " i can't do anything within the rule, We will have have wait till something happens at the top." We know how much it will take to something happen at the top. Also then doctors then had no scientific base for their argument.
    All said happened in 2001, Today I think it is 2011!.
    We can see no proper studies are taking before any new pesticide or chemical product 's are implemented in our country.( at least in this case) - all credits to government.!
    We are the ones who are implementing it in our field and consuming (partially) through our food. - We have no time to use our brains and to sense between a stone and a bomb.
    And the politicians after the ban are playing 'You did-We did' game. Do you think the atitude will change in future?

    End of the day you will have to take care of yourself. Think and check before your actions and be human's.
    safvan p

  • #3774

    Points:5
    I agree with Safvan that it is easy to target the Govt. as the scapegoat. One needs to go to the heart of the matter: who is introducing the pesticides containing this dangerous ingredient? It is the manufacturing company. Once the first studies revealed the terrible effects of Endosulfan, why did the manufacturing company continue to produce & market it? Surely they are not living on another planet that they are so out of touch with media reports on the research studies of the effects of Endosulfan!

    The next in line responsible are the retailers who are selling the dangerous pesticides. Why place orders for it and stock in their stores? The illiterate poor farmer will go to buy it without realising the danger. Maybe the local retailers are also ignorant about Endosulfan's dangers. So it is here that local administrative officials (who may or may not be as such Govt. officials) can be held responsible - for not spreading awareness about Endosulfan.
    Regards,
    Vandana

  • #3785

    Points:5
    Hi Safvan and Vandana, you are saying that govt. is not responsible for this disaster. If it is not the responsibility of government to take care of people and do what ever they need to sustain their life, then who else do you think to be in this place? It was 4th or 5th scientific report which reveal that the cause of this abnormal disease is Endosulphan. If govt. had taken a strict action against this it couldn't have been like this. Safvan did mentioned about the controversial stand India took in Stockholm convention. What could we understand from this? Where all other contries supports the ban of Endosulphan. Before giving permission to use this toxin they have to study about it, since it is not manufactured from govt. laboratory. Manufactures are the prime responser. But they dont value people lives, money is the only matter for them. I do blame government not because it is easy to target them. But because of their stand they had taken against this masskiller. You can blame private manufactures since they are the persons who give birth to this monster. But it is the right of government to decide whether this monstor has to live or die. I think you got what i said.

  • #3876

    Points:5
    I do agree to Sai Krishna to a great extent that the government should have acted promptly and faster than it has been doing or intends to do . As is said that any government decision takes years to get executed , that should not be the case while fighting this menace .

    The use of endosulfan as a pesticide in Kasaragode started by around the 70s when the Plantation Corporation of Kerala took over the cashew estates in that district . The aerial spraying , which started off well , ending in the officials flouting the height of the plane regulations and started using in incessantly to increase the produce . This has led to the drastic situation that the locals there are facing now .

    Popular protests aging decades has led to the decision to ban this pesticide . Kerala government calims that it is the first state to have banned this pesticide , but then the inflow of this pesticide by unauthorisrd means from Tamil Nadu has not been checked . Moreover , HIL which is a Kerala Government undertaking , produces about one eighth of endosulfan produced in India . If Kerala government is so much keen to protect the locals of Kasaragode , it should have stopped production of this deadly chemical far before and planned on givning the employees there some other work to do .

    The blame game that the ruling government as well as the opposition is taking is surely not going to give any fruit . The main agenda of the next government should be to take part in the research to find out a substitue for endosulfan and to reach a consensus on the relief and rehabilitation works to be carried out for the victims .

  • #3945

    Points:5
    The issue of the disaster due to the abuse of Endosulfan came to the notice of public because of animals' death and people showing deformations at Kasargod. Kerala Plantation corporation started spraying this pesticide to the cashew plants owned by the firm. Aerial spraying method followed by them was the major villain, it has to be presumed.

    This pesticide is used in other parts of the country also. But why reports of this type are not coming out. Even in Kerala, as far as I understand the same is used in Idukky and Palakkad districts also. But such horrifying reports are not seen from there(May be I have missed it). Similarly fro other States also no issues have come up (except from the Karnataka - border of Kasargod).

    It is a fact that the endosulfan is poisonous and is dangerous. Banning its use has to be welcomed. Why the authorities were reluctant to ban this till this time? Even now the ban may not be effective, if reports are to be believed.

    There are other pesticides which are equally or more dangerous which are in use in and around the State. It may be noted that this endosulfan is produced not only by private companies, but also by the Government owned Hindustan Insecticides Limited (HIL) at Eloor, Kochi.
    After the announcement of global banning of the insecticide, the employees of HIL have come forward saying that the banning should be taken up after alternate products, less dangerous, are formulated.

    (See also http://www.spiderkerala.net/resources/4253-Endosulphan-Kerala.aspx)
    T.M.Sankaran
    Gold Member, SPK

  • #3983

    Points:5
    Lack of proper and effective scientific study done before the implementation of endosulfan is now very clear. Effect or after effects for certain scientific inventions will be very quick whereas some will take a lot of time. For the ones which fall under the later category it is also possible that the results be disastrous. So we should be patient to allow some time for any product before it is used somewhere. Same happened in the case of endosulfan. Latest studies from prominent agricultural research centers in have given out impressive alternatives for endosulfan. The research took place under ICAR have successfully found natural ants as a weapon aginst the same pest which were fought with deadly endosulfan.
    Had this or similar study took place before 1978 when plantation corporation started spraying endosulfan in the plantations of kasargod the story might have been a different one. Today all of us are ashamed to cause danger to the members in our family. I think each of us have the responsilibity for what happened. Let us pledge that we wont allow similar disasters to carve our life.
    safvan p

  • #4092

    Points:4
    Ultimately, production, sale, storage and usage of Endosulfan is banned - thanks to the new Govt. All are to be blamed for the gravity of the situation in Kerala. Wide coverage through the print and electronic media exposed the situation to this alarming stage; otherwise, things would have shelved to Kasargod area. In seasons, our mango trees are taken by contractors to pluck the mangoes and no sooner the advance is paid to the owner, pesticides are spread on the tree to get better and quicker benefits. Are we stopping this practice ? In two or three decades past, no such pesticides used to be spread - then why now ? We ourselves, are first to be blamed for the current situation as our resistance power is subsidized. Preaching is not practiced.
    Sreekumar Nair
    Trichur

    "Proud to be an indian"

    NO & YES are two short words, which need a long thought..., most of the things we miss in life are due to saying NO too soon or YES too late. Have a great day.

  • #4094

    Points:2
    We Keralites seems to be reluctant in reacting to public issues. We are not interested to know what is happening in our neighborhood. We will wait till it crosses our boundary. Once it is in our area we will start shouting at it. Even then, we will never think what I can do about it, but we will certainly see what others done to it. We, have to change this attitude of blaming others for everything.

    Harshan

  • #4143

    Points:5
    In my view not only the Govt. is responsible for the Endosulfan disaster. One point think that the Endosulfan used safely some other parts of our country they did not report any problems yet,which understand something that the perfect usage of Endosulfan is not injurious to health.
    But we discuss one thing that most of our farmers are ignored people they do not know the perfect usage of pesticides, their aim only maximum earnings. They ignore the health of peoples.They are also responsible for this disaster.

    In my concept at the earlier stage the Govt. slightly protected the Endosulfan factory, but due to the protestors pressure and public influences at last Govt. banned it. Govt. also a part in the Endosulfan disaster.

    Unfortunately The Govt.,Endosulfan Factory owners, Endosulfan Retailers, farmers, etc.all are responsible for this disaster.


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