Date: June 10-11, 2019
Kerala needs to understand how sewage and excreta flow through its cities and identify intervention areas
Puts the limelight on lax regulations, weak enforcement
A National Workshop to develop a Comprehensive Rehabilitation and Rebuilding Program for the Survivors and Rejuvenation of the Eco-systems in the Endosulfan affected areas of Kasaragod District, was held on July 21-22. The two day program, CONCORD 2012, was held under the chairmanship of P Karunakaran, MP and it was inaugurated by the Kerala Chief Minister Ommen Chandy. Sunita Narain, Director General, Centre for Science and Environment was the key note speaker on the occasion. Read more
Today, I want to tell you a true story of extraordinary courage. The past week, I was in Kasaragod, a district in Kerala, splendid in beauty and with abundant natural resources, but destroyed by the toxic chemical, endosulfan. The pesticide was aerially sprayed over cashew plantations, for some 20 years, in complete disregard of the fact that there is no demarcation between plantations and human habitation in this area. It is also a high rainfall region and so, the sprayed pesticide leached into the ground and flowed downstream.
We, the Participants of the National Workshop, that assembled under the Chairmanship of Sri P Karunakaran, MP and that was inaugurated by the Hon'ble Chief Minister of the Kerala State, Sri Oommen Chandy and consisted of the People's representatives and leaders, activists and members of social, cultural, health and environmental organisations, experts in various fields, the victims and survivors of the endosulfan induced tragedy, the District administration and
KERALA has started disposing of expired stocks of endosulfan. A task force, chaired by deputy collector of Kasaragod district, started Operation Blossom Spring at a Plantation Corporation of Kerala (PCK) godown in Kasaragod on June 17 Read more
Calls for strict monitoring while packaging The Supreme Court has allowed the exports of 1090.596 MT of technical grade endosulfan for which export orders were received prior to the ban on May 13. But it has reiterated its earlier order, banning the use, sale and production of the pesticide.
Excel Crop Care is back to attacking scientists. S Ganesan on behalf of Excel Crop Care, the biggest endosulfan manufacturer in the country, has sent a legal notice to the Calicut Medical college for their report on endosulfan. The report indicted endosulfan for the health problems of those living in the cashew plantations in Kasaragod, Kerala.
A bill to be tabled in Parliament is set to re-ignite an old tussle between the Centre and states. The Pesticides Management Bill of 2008, which will be heard in the Monsoon Session, aims to replace grand old Insecticides Act of 1968. It will regulate a wider range of chemicals, including weedicides and fungicides along with insecticides.
A decade has passed since the Energy Conservation Act was enacted in 2001.
The Government of Kerala has directed the Kerala State Council for Science Technology andEnvironment (KSCSTE) for monitoring endosulfan persistence in soil, water and bloodsamples in the selected areas of Kasaragod District and its impacts on human health andenvironment vide G.O. (MS) No. 1550/20/10/HFW, dated: 09.04.2010 (Annexure I).