Chief Minister Oommen Chandy reiterated here on Wednesday that the government would pay the compensation recommended by the National Human Rights Commission to the endosulfan victims in Kasaragod district.

Speaking to the media after a meeting of the Cabinet, the Chief Minister said that the Chief Secretary had been asked to examine all sides of the issue and submit a report for consideration of the Cabinet next week.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has asked Chief Secretary K. Jayakumar to appear personally before it on June 11, if the State government fails to take action on the compensation recommended for endosulfan victims in Kasaragod district.

The Chief Secretary should file an action-taken report on the commission's recommendations before June 4, failing which he will have to appear before it. The commission has warned that it will approach the Supreme Court for enforcement of its recommendations if the government fails to pay the compensation.

The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) will disburse Rs.35 crore to implement 165 projects as the first-phase relief and rehabilitation package for victims of diseases caused by the aerial spraying of endosulfan.

Rs.117-crore outlay. The decision comes as part of the Rs.117-crore outlay earmarked to implement as many as 224 projects for which administrative sanctions have been received.

Woes galore at makeshift care centre for disabled

A day care centre for the disabled, especially the endosulfan victims, which was opened in Kokkada town of Belthangady taluk almost a year ago, urgently needs a permanent building. But there is little hope it would materialise any time soon.

The government has issued an order taking over the liability to pay compensation to the victims of endosulfan, recommended by the National Human Rights Commission, and absolving the Plantation Corporation of Kerala (PCK) of the liability. Additional Chief Secretary K. Jayakumar issued the order on a representation from the Corporation.

Principal Secretary (Health) Rajiv Sadanandan had earlier ordered that the Corporation should pay compensation recommended by the Commission. According to an assessment by the government, this came to about Rs.160 crore.

KASARGOD: The Plantation Corporation Samrakshana Samithi has demanded withdrawal of the study report of the community medicine of the Kozhikode Medical College on the ‘Epidemiological Studies Related to Health in Endosulfan-affected Areas of Kasargod district’.

In a letter to the principal of the Kozhikode Medical College, the PCK Samrakshana Samithi state secretary M Gangadharan Nair said the report of the medical college, which was later submitted to the Supreme Court, led to the government demanding huge funds from the PCK.

The Health Department has approved programmes under the unified master plan package for relief and remediation of endosulfan victims in Kasaragod district.
The Rs. 136-crore package is funded by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD)

Health Minister Adoor Prakash said in an official release here on Tuesday that 38 of the projects under the package approved by NABARD were to be taken up in the health sector.

Assistance given to 11 panchayats

The Thanal housing scheme for the victims of endosulfan was launched here on Monday. A demand draft for Rs.50 lakh to start the scheme works was handed over to 11 worst affected panchayats by P. Karunakaran, MP, at a function at the Collectorate on Monday.

Rs.99.63 crore from the agency constitutes 85 per cent of approved projects

The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has decided to sanction nearly Rs.100 crore to implement a special package for upgrading infrastructure in 11 endosulfan-hit panchayats in the district.

The Plantation Corporation of Kerala Limited (PCKL) chairman, Varghese George, has called upon the government to take necessary steps to pay compensation worth Rs 120 crore to the victims of Endosulfan in Kasargod as directed by the National Human Rights Commission.

Addressing a meet-the-press programme at Pathanamthitta Press Club on Wednesday, Dr. George said PCKL was not in a position to bear with such a hefty financial burden as it would badly affect the prospects of the corporation as well as its 4000-strong workforce and hence the government should pay the same to the affected people.