Kasargod:
Emphasising the need to speed up rehabilitation of people affected by the spraying of endosulfan in the district, a workshop on the issue on Sunday decided to urge the Centre to treat the problem as a national disaster like tsunami or Bhopal gas tragedy.
Besides a unanimous resolution urging the Centre to declare the endosulfan 'tragedy' as a national disaster, a detailed document titled "Kasargod Declaration" to ensure relief and rehabilitation on fast track mode was also written during the two-day workshop which concluded yesterday.
The workshop "Concord 12" (Consultative Workshop on comprehensive Rehabilitation of Endosulfan Victims and Rejuvenation of Ecosystem in Kasargod district) also resolved to request each MP to donate Rs 25 lakh to the Relief fund for the victims of endosulfan, which was blamed for several illnesses faced by people in the region after it was used in cashew plantations.
Kerala minister for Panchayat and Social Welfare Minister M K Muneer, who inaugurated the concluding session of the workshop, attended by over 700 delegates, said the state government would extend support for the rehabilitation and relief of the endosulfan victims.
Kasargod District Panchayat President P P Shyamala Devi read out the declaration.
It has been decided that a delegation would meet the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister requesting participation and funding of the central and state governments in the relief programmes.
A project proposal would be prepared within two months for setting up a National Relief and rehabilitation Research Centre and submitted to NABARD, the declaration said.
It was also decided to form a taskforce to coordinate the ongoing relief and rehabilitation measures being initiated by the 'Endosulfan Victims Relief and Remediation Cell'.
It has been decided to involve all local bodies in the district while developing the 12th five-year plan to revive organic farming to restore rich biodiversity.