Slamming the Central government’s stand on the use of toxic pesticide endosulfan as leading to “a grave violation of human rights”, the National Human Rights Commission has called for a nation-wide ban. India should also agree to a global ban, said the Commission, which also recommended higher compensation for victims. In its report submitted on Friday, the NHRC panel accused the government of ignoring the National Institute of Occupational Health’s study...

Over 300 workers from the Hindustan Insecticides Limited plant manufacturing endosulfan near Kochi at Kerala organised a rally today to oppose the unscientific approach adopted by environmental NGOs to seek ban on endosulfan. The workers demanded that their own experience and the farmers’ experience be taken into consideration as they work with the pesticide endosulfan. endosulfan was manufactured and used for more than 50 years across the world and continues to...

Terming as “very serious” the diseases suspected to have been caused by the use of endosulfan in the Plantation Corporation of Kerala's cashew estates in the district, the National Human Rights Commission has recommended setting up a multi super-specialty hospital here to treat the victims. The health situation arising out of the use of endosulfan on the PCK land is very serious and all agencies, including the government, people's representatives and...

Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan said here on Sunday that the State government would initiate action against officials of the Agriculture Department and Plantation Corporation of Kerala Ltd. who endorsed the use of endosulfan in Kasaragod district.Speaking after inaugurating Karshaka Bhavanam at Anayara here, he said a section of agricultural scientists who certified the use of the deadly pesticide were also responsible for the human tragedy caused by exposure to endosulfan.The...

Union minister of state for Agriculture, K V Thomas, today said Kerala, which had not fully utilised the allocation of Rs 700 crore under the Vidharba package, should utilise the remaning nearly rs 400 crore for Organic cultivation.About rs 400 crore was yet to be utilised and this could be made use for propagating organic cultivation in the the state, thomas said at the sidelines of a function here.The miniser...