Senior Congress leader V.M. Sudheeran on Tuesday urged Chief Minister Oommen Chandy to convene a review meeting to ensure transparency in the initiatives being taken to address the issues of endosulfan victims.
Mr. Chandy should convene a high-level meeting of Ministers, local MP, MLAs and other local body representatives besides action council members, he said while inaugurating the 16th day of the indefinite hunger strike here on Tuesday.
Clarity lacking
Although the United Democratic Front (UDF) government had initiated a series of measures to address the issues faced by the victims, it appeared that some steps lacked clarity and transparency. The government should take swift measures to clear apprehension on this count, he said.
Fresh medical camps should be conducted to ensure that relief and rehabilitation measures reached the genuine victims.
Since the spraying of pesticides in the State-owned Plantation Corporation of Kerala (PCK) was carried out by government agencies, it was the duty of the administration to provide medical treatment and compensation to address the health hazards attributed to the use of pesticides use in the district, he said.
Likewise, the Union government, PCK and the endosulfan pesticide company cannot wash of their hands of the responsibility of providing an adequate rehabilitation package to the victims.
The Government Order limiting the ongoing relief and rehabilitation measures only up to next five years should be withdrawn, Mr. Sudheeran said. The people should join hands to express solidarity with the victims, the majority of them residing in remote hamlets of the district, he said.
Social activist Narayanan Periya presided over the function. Environmentalist A. Mohan Kumar began fast on Monday after D. Surendranath was shifted to hospital as his health condition worsened following a week-long hunger strike.
