The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) Opposition on Wednesday slammed the Government for leaving thousands of endosulfan victims in Kasaragod districts in the lurch.
Moving an adjournment motion demanding an emergency debate on the issue in the Assembly, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) legislator N.A. Nellikunnu said the “Remediation Cell” tasked with the welfare of the endosulfan-afflicted was inert for over a year. The Government has repeatedly ignored the demand to reconstitute the cell, he said.
Mr. Nellikunnu said the previous District Collector of Kasaragod had openly doubted whether endosulfan victims deserved Government aid and compensation. He demanded that a medical board re-examine at least 2,700 people diagnosed with signs of pesticide poisoning.
He said the bureaucrat had disparaged writers and intellectuals who fought for the rights of endosulfan victims in a news article. The Collector said the victims had not furnished empirical evidence to support their large-scale pesticide poisoning claims. The MLA asked the Government to clarify whether the bureaucrat, who claimed to be a doctorate holder in agriculture, reflected the view of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) Government.
Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan said the Government had not included at least 1,000 people diagnosed with pesticide poisoning in the list of endosulfan beneficiaries. At least 3,000 have not received the compensation ordered by the Supreme Court.
Endosulfan victims had no access to proper medical care. Expensive private hospitals in Mangaluru in neighbouring Karnataka were their only recourse.
Govt. reply
Social Welfare Minister R. Bindu said the LDF had fought for the rehabilitation of endosulfan victims. The DYFI had moved the Supreme Court for compensating them and won the award.
The LDF government had conducted 38 camps and identified 6,727 persons for endosulfan compensation, categorising them for financial assistance, she said.
The Government would reconstitute the remediation cell. The proposed Government Medical College Hospital in Kasaragod would have a separate multi-disciplinary unit for treating endosulfan victims. The Government has distributed ₹285 crore as compensation to endosulfan victims, she said.
Speaker M. B. Rajesh rejected the adjournment motion.