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.

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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.

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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.

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The government, on Tuesday, issued orders approving the recommendations of the National Human Rights Commission to pay compensation to the victims of endosulfan.

The action was taken in the backdrop of the commission asking Chief Secretary K. Jayakumar to be present in person before it if the government failed to act on the recommendations before June 4.

The district administration will hold awareness classes on the detoxification of huge quantities of endosulfan pesticide kept in godowns of the Plantation Corporation of Kerala.

The classes would be conducted by experts in Pullur-Periye, Kayyur-Cheemeni and Panathady panchayats on May 22 and May 24, official sources here said. The experts would strive to clear all apprehensions of the public regarding the detoxification programme, which was a long standing demand of the people of the affected localities, they said.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will help transfer endosulfan kept in vessels that have corroded by now in the warehouses of the Plantation Corporation of Kerala in the district to fresh barrels, officials said.

The decision was taken at a meeting convened by District Collector V.N. Jithendran here on Monday. Agriculture Minister K.P. Mohanan was present. The first step to destroy the deadly pesticide, the transfer, to be completed this month, is expected to set at rest a fear among the local people that the old vessels will spring leaks.

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.

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