Central health delegation looks into Endosulfan tragedy

By Khabrein.Info Correspondent,

Kasarakode: A Central health delegation has reached here to look into the consequences of Endosulfan tragedy. A seven member medical team, headed by Siyokki Nandan, will study the health issues reported after the usage of killer pesticide Endosulfan in the region.

The Endosulfan issue has been top news for more than a decade, thanks to tragic health problems seen among newborn children in many villages of Kasarkode. Massive agitations had rocked Kerala to prevent the use and sale of Endosulfan.

And now the Union Health Ministry has come into action sending a delegation to check the issue in detail. Previous studies had proved that the contaminated air and water caused physical and mental problems in children.

Such cases were reported from a wide area having a private owned cashew-nut plantation. The use of Endosulfan as pesticide here reportedly led to unimaginable health issues. Bevikkanam was the most affected area while people in neighboring villages also became victims of Endosulfan.

The newborn children of this area couldn’t maintain their physical and mental growth regarding their counter parts in other villages. The awful stories of poor families and disastrous pictures of children spread the fire against the government resulting in the ban of killer pesticides.

However, Union agricultural minister, Sharad Pawar recently refused to ban the pesticides including Endosulfan, claiming that no side effects were reported yet. The Parliament members from Kerala had asked him to go through the stories of Endosulfan victims in Kasarkode.

The new medical team is directed by National Institute of health and family welfare. The medical experts from AIMS and Safdurjung Hopitals have already started their research by Thursday. The study is scheduled to continue for another couple of days.

However, the experts visit has created some issues among the victims. The affected people in Bevikkananam protested against the experts’ visit at night. The team had started their study in the very night they reached the area.

Moreover, skeptics ask how the team can assess the tragedy with a shorter visit of just three days. They want the solutions from the Central government rather than repeated studies.