KOZHIKODE: It was E. Chandrasekharan who presented a private bill in Assembly pressing for setting up a tribunal on endosulfan during the previous UDF rule. But now the LDF is in power, and the cabinet meeting had decided to uphold UDF government's decision in an apparent U-turn. "It was me who pressed for the formation of a tribunal earlier. But now, the government had decided on the contrary. As a part of the government, I cannot go against it," the revenue minister E. Chandrasekharan said at the endosulfan rehabilitation cell meeting at the Kasaragod collectorate a few days back.
The National Environment Tribunal Act of 1995 stipulates that whoever has done the environmental damage, it has to pay the compensation. In that case, state government-run Plantation Corporation of Kerala (PCK) and Centre's Hindustan Insecticides Limited (HIL) will have to pay. In the wake of the government U-turn, NGOs are gearing up to open another protest front. "Public has a wrong perception that the present monetary relief to the victims is compensation. It was only interim solace as per the recommendation of National Human Rights Commission.
The compensation should come from the tribunal," says Dr Mohanan Pulikkodan, the president of Genuine Ecological Education and Vigilant Action (GEEVA). During UDF rule, C.N. Ramachandran Nair led panel had rejected demand for a tribunal, and then LDF vehemently opposed it. The cell itself had demanded to reject the Nair report. But there are differences among the NGOs. Endosulfan Peeditha Janakeeya Munnani (EPJM) was of the opinion that treatment of the victims is more important than setting up the tribunal.
"Tribunal is definitely one of our demands and the government's new decision is a major setback. But the medical needs of the victims deserve more attention. The left government has not kept its promises to endosulfan victims," said EPJM secretary Ambalathara Kunhikrishnan. He felt the government is also cold towards the victims compared to the previous rule. NGOs like ENVISAJ and GEEVA have decided to commence a series of protests demanding the tribunal.
