An indefinite relay hunger strike by mothers of the endosulfan victims entered the third day on Wednesday.

Protesters sought speedy implementation of the National Human Rights Commission suggested relief and rehabilitation package for the families of victims. The agitation, spearheaded by the Endosulfan Satyagraha Samithi, began on Monday to put pressure on the administration to take swift measures to implement the rehabilitation package, samithi convener Ambalathara Kunhikrishnan said. The samithi was on an indefinite relay strike from April 20.

Agriculture Minister K.P. Mohanan told the Assembly on Monday that the government was willing to concede the demands of endosulfan victims.

The Minister was replying to the demands for grants for Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, and Stationary and Printing and other Administrative Services. Mr. Mohanan said mothers of the victims had decided to go ahead with their indefinite hunger strike despite the government promising to concede all their demands. It had already doubled the monthly assistance to them and decided to pay the compensation recommended by the National Human Rights Commission.

The Endosulfan Satyagraha Samiti will organise a relay hunger strike from June 25 as part of intensifying its agitation against delay in providing relief to victims.

The recent decision of the State government to disburse relief in tune with the recommendations of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) lacked clarity, the samiti said in a statement issued here on Sunday.“We have decided to intensify the two-month-old strike by resorting to a relay hunger strike in protest against the undue delay in implementing the comprehensive rehabilitation package,” samiti convener Ambalathara Kunhi Krishnan said

A two-day national seminar on endosulfan scheduled here from July 14 aims to free the district from all kinds of chemical and hazardous pesticides, P. Karunakaran, MP, has said.

No assurance on demand to write off bank loans

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Tuesday assured the Endosulfan Satyagraha Samithi that steps would be taken to address the problems faced by those suffering from mysterious diseases attributed to the spraying of the pesticide in the district.An eight-member team of the samithi, accompanied by four MLAs from the district, held talks with Mr. Chandy and Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Ramesh Chennithala in Thiruvananthapuram on some crucial issues, including the need for swift implementation of the relief and rehabilitation package for the victims.

Commission accepts staggered relief payment proposed by State government

The Kerala government has partially complied with the orders of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on payment of compensation to families of those killed due to the effects of pesticide Endosulfan, and those who were physically affected.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy reiterated here on Wednesday that the government would pay the compensation recommended by the National Human Rights Commission to the endosulfan victims in Kasaragod district.

Speaking to the media after a meeting of the Cabinet, the Chief Minister said that the Chief Secretary had been asked to examine all sides of the issue and submit a report for consideration of the Cabinet next week.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has asked Chief Secretary K. Jayakumar to appear personally before it on June 11, if the State government fails to take action on the compensation recommended for endosulfan victims in Kasaragod district.

The Chief Secretary should file an action-taken report on the commission's recommendations before June 4, failing which he will have to appear before it. The commission has warned that it will approach the Supreme Court for enforcement of its recommendations if the government fails to pay the compensation.

The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) will disburse Rs.35 crore to implement 165 projects as the first-phase relief and rehabilitation package for victims of diseases caused by the aerial spraying of endosulfan.

Rs.117-crore outlay. The decision comes as part of the Rs.117-crore outlay earmarked to implement as many as 224 projects for which administrative sanctions have been received.

Woes galore at makeshift care centre for disabled

A day care centre for the disabled, especially the endosulfan victims, which was opened in Kokkada town of Belthangady taluk almost a year ago, urgently needs a permanent building. But there is little hope it would materialise any time soon.