The State government on Sunday expressed its willingness to meet the demands made by social activist Daya Bai who is on a hunger strike in the State capital seeking relief for the endosulfan victims of Kasaragod.
However, the 81-year-old activist has not called off the strike, although Health Minister Veena George and Higher Education Minister R. Bindu met her and the action council leaders with assurances that the demands would be met.
It is learnt that the minutes of the meeting, which the government passed on to the action council on Sunday evening, did not adequately reflect these promises. A decision on the future course of the stir is likely to be taken on Monday.
Earlier in the day, the two Ministers, who met Ms. Daya Bai at the General Hospital here where she is admitted, termed the discussions ''fruitful.'' Ms. Bindu said the action council and Ms. Daya Bai have agreed to call off the strike on the strength of the assurances.
They also informed Ms. Daya Bai that the government's decisions would be given to her in writing.
''We have considered her demands. Ninety per cent of it can be implemented and we have informed them that it would done at the earliest,'' Ms. Bindu told mediapersons after the talks. Ms. George said the talks were fruitful and work on improving the healthcare facilities in Kasaragod district would be completed in a time-bound manner.
Ms. Daya Bai has been on a hunger strike outside the Secretariat since October 2 demanding permanent solutions to the problems faced by the endosulfan victims.
Her demands include improved medical facilities in Kasaragod for the victims, care centres in all grama panchayats in the district, a special medical camp to identify people affected by endosulfan and a campus of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in the northern district.
