Pinarayi Vijayan, had in 2018, requested PM Modi for compensation, the minister said. (File photo)
The Kerala government on Thursday said neither the Centre nor pesticide manufacturers have provided any assistance to disburse compensation to the victims of Endosulfan pesticide exposure in the southern state as directed by the Supreme Court and the Human Rights Commission.
Legal opinion has been sought from the Advocate General to make pesticide manufacturing companies a party in the ongoing case on the issue in the top court, state Minister for Higher Education and Social Justice R Bindhu told the Assembly.
The minister's statement assumes significance as it comes two months after the state government was pulled up by the Supreme Court for the delay in paying compensation to the Endosulfan victims in the state.
The minister said though Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, had in 2018, sent a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting to provide 50 per cent of the total amount required for disbursing compensation and pension to the victims, the Centre rejected the state's plea.
Bindhu was replying to a question raised by Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan (Congress) in this regard during Question Hour.
The Supreme Court, on May 13, had pulled up the Kerala government for not paying the compensation of Rs five lakh to each of the victims of toxic pesticide Endosulfan and directed the Chief Secretary to hold monthly meetings and ensure necessary medical help to them.
Endosulfan pesticide was used widely on crops like cashew, cotton, tea and fruits till 2011, after which its production and distribution were banned due to several reports of its ill effects on humans.
A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and Surya Kant gave the direction while hearing a contempt petition filed by eight victims and said that the state government does not act unless a contempt petition is filed.
The eight victims had sought initiation of contempt proceedings against the state government for willful disobedience of the top court's order dated January 10, 2017, and a direction to set up a medical facility in Kasaragod district to provide treatment to the victims.
Soon after criticism from the top court, the Vijayan government had said verification of beneficiaries was ongoing and amounts would be disbursed to most of them within the next 3-4 months.