The State Government plans to intensify pressure on the Centre to support a global ban on production and use of pesticide endosulfan.
This comes in the context of a conference of parties to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants that begins in Geneva on April 25.
The Chief Minister, Mr V. S. Achuthanandan, will write soon to the Centre to press this demand.
An official spokesman quoted him as saying that the Centre has been adopting an inhuman stand to the total disregard of victims of endosulfan sprayed mainly over plantations in Kasaragod district.
Meanwhile, the Minister for Forests, Mr Benoy Viswom, too, has voiced his concern over the issue and said that India should support a global ban on the use of the pesticide.
Addressing a press conference here on Monday, the Minister said that the Centre should end its ‘hide and seek' policy in the matter and sympathise with the cause of the endosulfan victims.
POLICY ISSUE
Trade interests should not be allowed to dictate India's stand at Stockholm, he said, adding that the Union Minister for Agriculture, Mr Sharad Pawar's policy should not become the country's policy.
Mr Viswom said that he had written to the Union Minister and Prime Minister urging them to support a ban on endosulfan at the global forum.
However, the Centre sought to ignore this and proceeded to drop out of the discussions at the committee on persistent organic pollutants, which had since recommended a ban.
The Minister said he would write to the Centre again and called upon the public to join the signature campaign and protests against the Centre's stated stand in the matter.
LEASE EXPIRY
India produces 9,000 tonnes of endosulfan a year and half of it is being used within the country.
The State Forest Department had suggested that estates of the Plantation Corporation of Kerala in the endosulfan-affected areas of Kasaragod district be taken back by the Government on expiry of the lease, and set apart for rehabilitation of the victims.
But the proposal needs clearance from the Centre, the Minister added.