Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has expressed confidence that the outstanding issues related to the endosulfan-affected persons will be resolved at a high-level meeting convened in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday.
He was speaking to mediapersons who met him at Puthuppally on Sunday.
The Chief Minister called for speedy conclusion of the legal process against the Italian marines who, according to him, should get suitable punishment for the crime.
He had called for setting up a special court in Kollam so that the witnesses, officials, and law officers could have avoided the hassle of travelling long distance.
However, the government would go by the directive of the Supreme Court and would fight the case to bring the accused to book, he said.
Appeal
Special Correspondent adds from Thiruvananthapuram: Prominent people from various walks of life have urged the State government to urgently set up a tribunal to provide compensation to endosulfan victims.
In a signed appeal, CPI leader Benoy Viswom, N.K. Premachandran, K. Kutty Ahmed Kutty, among others, urged the government to consider promulgating an ordinance that would incorporate the National Human Rights Commission’s (NHRC) observations in a case that came up before it. The appeal, which was released for publication here on Sunday, said the victims were entitled to compensation under the International laws, Indian Constitution and the verdict of the NHRC. The decision of the Plantation Corporation of Kerala to move court to seek compensation from the endosulfan manufacturers was a welcome move and the State government should not delay giving permission to the company to move in this direction.
