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.

The Supreme Court on Monday allowed three weeks’ time to the Union Government to file its reply regarding the ban of endosulfan. The bench headed by Chief Justice S H Kapadia ordered the government to file its reply within three weeks at the court proceedings which lasted only two minutes.

SAMBALPUR: Even as the cause of death of saplings in Hirakud Command Area is being debated, former MP of Sambalpur, Bhabani Hota said extreme pollution levels in water and toxicity could be a reason. Hota told medipersons on Thursday that according to a study of Sambalpur University in the 90’s, massive toxic effluents were being released into the reservoir by industries upstream. These effluents had high content of lead and mercury which ultimately found their way into the agricultural fields through water discharged in the canal system, he added.

Karnal: The farmers suffering huge losses due to damage to sugarcane crop beause of the dreaded “white grub” disease can heave a sigh of relief as the scientists at the Sugarcane Breeding Centre, Karnal, have discovered a pesticide for effective control of the disease. The disease was rampant in several districts of UP, parts of Haryana and Punjab and, at many places, the farmers had been forced to root out the crop to get rid of the disease.

At least 40 villagers undergo treatment. Panic spread among the residents of Maitapur area under the Simulia police station in Baleswar district after they began to experience an irritating smell of gas late on Saturday evening. The gas emanated from a neighbouring private pesticide manufacturing unit Krishi Rasayan. The unit near National Highway-5 on the border between Baleswat and Bhadrak has been functioning over the last two decades.

Farmers and the food industry are asking the Obama administration to ease coming federal guidance that will advise consumers to minimize their intake of dioxins, chemicals that may be harmful at certain levels.

The standards would, for the first time, set a limit on how much dioxin Americans can be exposed to and still be safe. The Environmental Protection Agency is expected to release the guidelines in January.

The fourth phase of medical camps to enrol endosulfan victims will be held in select localities in the district from December 17 to 21.

Thirty-eight doctors from 11 departments of five medical colleges will examine patients. As many as 70 experts drawn under the National Rural Health Mission will be present, District Collector K.N. Satheesh told presspersons here on Thursday.