No minister to be allowed to step into district if apathy continues: T.V. Rajesh

Accusing Chief Minister Oommen Chandy of shying away from disbursing rightful assistance to endosulfan victims, the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) has warned that it will not allow any ministers to step into the district if the UDF government continued to show lethargy in taking care of the hapless victims.

An indefinite hunger strike launched by the Endosulfan Peeditha Janakeeya Munnai (EPJM) seeking effective and swift relief and rehabilitation for hundreds of endosulfan victims and their families crossed three weeks on Monday.

Environmentalist A. Mohankumar has been fasting at the strike venue for eight days. The doctors who examined him on Monday morning said his vital parameters were normal.

Affidavit on Kasaragod cell must be filed in two weeks

A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Thursday directed the State government to file an affidavit clarifying the points raised by the Kasaragod District Collector regarding the formation of a Kasaragod district-level cell for coordinating rehabilitation and welfare measures of endosulfan victims. The Bench comprising Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice K. Vinod Chandran also directed the government to inform it the number of meetings held by the district-level cell after its formation.

Mothers of endosulfan victims and other protesters blocked the National Highway near the new bus station here on Monday, intensifying an agitation demanding the implementation of a rehabilitation p

With mothers of endosulfan-affected people joining a fast here on Monday, the protest demanding the quick implementation of a rehabilitation package for the victims is expected to intensify. The agitators plan to block the National Highway.

As the fast entered the seventh day on Sunday, two activists became critically ill. Doctors advised the leaders to shift them to hospital. The Endosulfan Peedhitha Janakeeya Munnani, a people’s front for the victims, is leading the protest.

Kochi: Steps have been taken to provide compensation to endosulfan victims as recommended by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the state government has informed the high court. The government’s submission was in response to a November 28, 2012, directive of the high court.

The state said in an affidavit that it was not against implementing all the recommendations of the NHRC on the compensation issue. The government’s priority has been the health and security of the people, which led to the decision to ban endosulfan, N Nandakumar, secretary of health and family welfare department, said in the affidavit.

The second phase of the indefinite hunger strike launched in Kasaragod seeking comprehensive rehabilitation package for hundreds of Endosulfan victims in the district entered the third day on Wednesday.

Subhash Cheemeni and P. Krishnan, ‘Endosulfan Peedhitha Janakeeya Munnani’ activists, are on indefinite hunger strike from February 18. Veteran journalist B. R. P. Bhaskar inaugurated the agitation on Monday.

Victims’ forum relaunches hunger strike after six months

The laxity of the government in providing relief and rehabilitation to hapless endosulfan victims in the district is forcing them to relaunch the indefinite hunger strike after six months, senior journalist B.R.P. Bhaskar has said. He was inaugurating the relay hunger strike spearheaded by the Endosulfan Peeditha Janakeeya Munnani (EPJM) on the new bus station premises here on Monday.

Demand for implementation of relief package

Accusing the government of “moving slow” on its promise to disburse the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)-assured compensation and of omitting a few identified endosulfan victims from the list of persons to be compensated, yet another indefinite relay hunger strike will begin here from February 18. Social and cultural activists and the mothers of the victims will take part in the agitation, spearheaded by the Endosulfan Peedhitha Janakeeya Munnani in their bid to force the government to swiftly implement the NHRC-suggested rehabilitation package, Munnani convener Ambalathara Kunhikrishnan said.