New list of endosulfan victims draws widespread flak

The re-categorised list of endosulfan victims continues to cause headache for the district administration as it has drawn harsh criticism from all sections of the society. The re-categorised list, according to the district administration, was created for distributing compensation recommended by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and will not affect the usual relief programmes including monthly pension and other rehabilitation services.

At present, the preliminary list has 103 bedridden patients who will be compensated in the first place. Other lists include 994 physically disabled persons, 1,184 mentally challenged persons and 225 cancer patients. The remaining 1,633 people may have to undergo another round of re-categorisation by doctors.



Deputy Collector Sudheer Babu, who is in charge of the Endosulfan Rehabilitation Cell in the district, said that, no one had been excluded from the list and they were just being categorised for the swift payment of compensation to the deserving patients. “Other benefits like ration, medical treatment and monthly pension will be paid to the victims as usual. The NHRC recommendations have stressed on compensating completely bedridden, physically disabled and mentally challenged persons. People should understand that they will never be denied proper rehabilitation,” he said, adding that the list is open and there may be additions to it.

The Endosulfan Cell meeting held on Thursday saw a flood of criticisms. Many who were present condemned the government for publishing such a list without even informing the Cell in the district.

According renowned activist Narayanan Periya, the state government has kept in dark both the people and the NHRC. The order nowhere mentions the compensation to the kin of deceased persons, which is one of the categories to be compensated, as per the direction of the NHRC.

“The argument presented by the administration to avoid cancer patients from the first category, which would be paid `5 lakh, that they are not totally bedridden is absurd as cancer is considered as the one of the chronic diseases in our country.

Not only that, the recommendations of the NHRC are based on the study by the National Institute for the Orthopaediacally Handicapped (NIOH) in 2001, which states that there are more cancer patients in the affected area,” he said.

Moreover, the study by the expert team appointed by the government from Kozhikode Medical College also says there are increased cases of cancer in the 11 panchayats affected by the pesticide. And NHRC recommendations nowhere say to drop patients from the list, Narayanan said, adding that, the final list would be accepted only if it is prepared after a thorough checkup by the doctors.

It would have been considered a genuine reason to drop persons from the list, if it was certified by the doctors that they are completely cured, Narayanan said.

However, the Endosulfan Cell will meet Chief Minister Oommen Chandy with their representation on Sunday.

Meanwhile, victims including women and children would hold a hunger strike in front of the Chief Minister’s house on August 29 on the Thiruvonam day