Umweltverbrechen multinationaler Konzerne - Greenpeace

Subsequent
behaviour of company
and governments attention. Public campaigns included exhibitions,
films, slide shows, road-side talks, education booklets, bit notices,
banners, posters and protests, campaign visits and sit-ins.
There have not been any initiatives for compensation. PCK has
outright rejected that their Endosulfan spraying as cause of damage
and refuses to acknowledge that the area and people have been
contaminated. The financial state of the company is bad and they
use this as an excuse for continuing the Endosulfan spray.
PCK spent nearly commissioned and fabricated an analysis report
showing that Endosulfan was not present. The company spent nearly
INR 1 million on the study, then passed this report to the Pesticide
Manufacturers to launch a campaign to protect the chemical. The
company put continuous pressure on political parties and
government arguing that export earnings from cashew were in
jeopardy. Press conferences and misinformation campaign
defended their use of Endosulfan.
In fact, PCK has been indifferent to the communities and the
environment, violating the Insecticides Act, The EPA, and Labour
laws. Legal counteraction by the company through defending the
cases with total lies, extending to self-contradictions and attempting
to misguide the court and the government prosecutors. This had
delayed court proceedings 136 .
Legal outcome The lower courts (Munsiff Courts) have temporarily stopped aerial
spraying and use of Endosulfan. The High Court hearing of the case
has yet to begin. While the legal moves have exposed many hidden
violations before the court and the public, the proceedings of the
court have been generally slow.
Final Greenpeace
statement
136 Interview with THANAL/ ESPAC researchers.
This case clearly establishes the fact that not only privately owned
multinational corporations but also State owned ones like the
Plantation Corporation of Kerala require to be made liable and
accountable to the public by an international instrument.
69