Accusing the new Left Democratic Front (LDF) government of contemplating to retreat from the assured relief offered to them, endosulfan victims and their families are preparing to stage a day-long token agitation in front of the Secretariat in the capital city on January 30.
As many as 200 women, along with their children who are endosulfan victims, would take part in the protest, Ambalathara Kunhikrishnan, general secretary of the Endosuflan Peeditha Janakeeya Munnani (EPJM) that spearheads the agitation, said following a meeting held in Kanhangad.
The victims were forced to stage yet another agitation in the wake of the government headed by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, on whom the victims had pinned their hope, the EPJM meeting alleged.
The previous United Democratic Front (UDF) government had issued an order on March 26, 2013, assuring the affected that BPL ration cards would be issued to all family members of the victims irrespective of their financial status.
But today, most families were deprived of essential ration goods, Mr. Kunhirkrishnan said.
Besides, the new government had adopted a “callous” attitude by failing to reconstitute the now defunct district-level endosulfan victims rehabilitation cell to effectively coordinate the ongoing relief and rehabilitation packages.
The EPJM also sought waiver of loans taken by the victims’ families to meet the expensive medical treatment; long-standing medical camps to add more victims on the official list; implementation of recommendations by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
The EPJM also urged the authorities to speed up implementation of the assured rehabilitation package and set up tribunal to decide on compensation to different categories of victims. The meeting urged the State not to drag the victims yet again on the warpath.
