SC Slams Kerala Govt For Doing Nothing To Compensate Endosulfan Victims For 5 Years

The supreme court has slammed the Kerala government for doing nothing for "Endosulfan pesticide exposure victims". It is known that aerial spraying of endosulfan in the cashew estates in Kerala for over 20 years has caused severe health hazards and deaths.

The courtroom's 2017 judgment ordered the state to pay Rs 5 lakhs to every victim in three months. Five years after the judgement, the Supreme court realised that only eight people out of 3,704 had been paid.

It also directed it to set up a medical facility to treat ailments resulting from exposure to endosulfan. Relief and remediation plans focus on health, socio-economic welfare, rehabilitation and empowerment, and a periodic assessment of environmental effects.

Hardships Faced By The Endosulfan Victims

While taking the numbers into context- 3,704 victims, 102 are bedridden, 326 are mentally challenged, 201 are physically disabled, 119 are wrecked by cancer, while 2,966 others fall in the residual category, reported The Hindu.

Most of them have been putting it down to a supernatural curse. Family after family has people suffering from diseases that were never noticed in the area in the past. Most victims are from marginalised societies and need immediate compensation. The State Council added that the hospital belonging to Tata Group was used during the Covid pandemic by the state, and a portion of it can be used for treating these victims.

Compensation By The State

The court has ordered the state to pay ₹50,000 each to the eight contempt petitioners within three weeks for delayed compensation payment. Steps will be taken for victims' medical facilities in terms of the Supreme Court judgment and subsequent orders.

The state seemed to have ignored the victims all these years, but now they will be given their compensation, and good medical facilities will be provided.

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