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Range of damage,
amount of loss
gynaecological problems, nervous system diseases, endocrine
disruptions, weakening of immune systems have been reported in all
villages 132 . In a village called Padre, every single family living by the
main stream has multiple health impaired cases. Extremely high
residues of the pesticide have been detected in human blood and
milk 133 .
The spray affects 15 Village Panchayaths, exposing at least 200,000
people. No assessment has been made as to how many have been
affected. The manifestation of the problems varies from house to
house. Panchayaths and houses lie scattered and a comprehensive
assessment of the loss could not be done so far. Expenditure of
families towards treatment, especially for the chronic cases are
staggeringly high, with many cases being treated for more than a
decade. The villages have no facility to handle cases such as these.
Expenditure can be expected to recur and increase for the remaining
part of their life. Capacity to continue normal life and work has been
severely affected in the village people 134 .
Who is responsible Plantation Corporation of Kerala is responsible for the aerial spraying
an Extremely Hazardous 135 chemical for more than two decades and
violating recommendations and safety measures.
Legal and/or public
action taken
Department of Agriculture as the parent department is also
responsible for not intervening despite complaints since the 1980s
and public protests since 1995.
The Central Insecticides Board, India, is responsible for not
implementing an important shared recommendation of two
Government appointed committees to stop the use of Endosulfan
near water-bodies.
Kerala State Pollution Control Board is responsible for failing to take
measures warranted of them to protect water bodies and public from
being polluted by the action.
National Research Centre for Cashew, Kerala Agriculture University
is responsible because they still advocate the use of Endosulfan in
crops in Kerala.
Three court cases were filed in the Munsiff Court (lower court) of
Hosdurg and Kasargod. Five cases were filed in the High Court of
Kerala, two under trial since December 1999. The National Human
Rights Commission initiated a Suo-moto case.
Formal complaints were submitted by Endosulfan Spray Protest
Action Committee (ESPAC) to the District, State and National
Administration. ESPAC demanded that they, other public groups,
research institutes and regulatory bodies provide information to
prove the need for the use of Endosulfan and the studies on which
they have based their recommendations. There have been lobby
meetings with political parties, industry.
The media played a very active role in bringing the issue to public
134 Endosulfan Spray Protest Action Committee(ESPAC).
135 Toxicity Data Handbook- VolumeIII, Industrial Toxicological Research Center,Lucknow, India,1989.
68