Evidence is mounting on the ill-effects of Endosulfan sprayed on cashew plantations in Kasaragod district, even as the Union government continues to be ambivalent on the issue.
A survey done by the Health Department has identified nearly 4,000 victims after screening 16,000.
It has been more than a dozen years since health professionals in north Kerala started noticing unusual health disorders in the tracts where there had been aerial spraying of the pesticide endosulfan on cashew plantations. Surveys, studies and countless media reports have brought out the burden of endosulfan. The Government of Kerala has even banned the sale of the pesticide.
The Karnataka government has banned use of pesticide endosulfan with immediate effect for a period of 60 days. The state Cabinet, chaired by chief minister B S Yeddyurappa, announced the decision on February 17.
Kanhangad: The Anti-Endosulfan Campaign Committee would launch an indefinite hunger strike from February 19, raising demands like distribution of Plantation Corporation of Kerala's land to pesticide victims, rehabilitation of victims' families and writing off of their loans, among other things, its district convenor A.
June 24: Small and marginal farmers from SC and ST communities are going to raise horticulture crops, mainly cashew nut on assigned lands over about 4,000 acres, 1,000 acres in agency areas, under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NR-EGS) in East Godavari.
Last few days the markets have been flooded by the Goan delight, Mancurad mangoes but mango traders are not a happy lot. This season, they have not able to earn expected returns for two reasons.
One, mango production has been less this year. There has been drop in the production almost by 40 per cent as weather turned truant during flowering period in January
Demeter-certified produce to be shipped to Europe.
A.J. Vinayak
Even as the Indian cashew sector explores niche products for growth, a Mangalore-based cashew processing company has come out with biodynamic cashew for the domestic and export markets.
THE KARNATAKA government acknowledged the link between the spraying of endosulfan in South Canara district and the incidence of congenital birth defects, skin diseases and motor ailments, saying victims would be given financial aid.
