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Research done by Centre for Science and Environment indicates that the residents of Padre village are afflicted by several unusual diseases because of spraying of endosulfan pesticide by the Plantation Corporation of Kerala. Each resident of Padre, whose blood sample was tested, has endosulfan residues several hundred times the residue limit for water.

Sopan Joshi's special feature in Down To Earth : February 28, 2001 issue reveals many hard truths on the issue.

SHOCKING RESULTS

The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) released - on February 21, 2001 - the shocking results of its laboratory analysis on samples brought from Padre village of Enmakaje Gram Panchayat in Kasaragod district, Kerala, where a lot of unusual diseases related to the central nervous system have been reported, especially among children.

The killer element in Swarga rivulet

Dr. Y. S. Mohan Kumar, a doctor who has practiced medicine in the area since 1982 has been noticing a large number of disorders related to the central nervous system. He urged the government that endosulphan spray should be immediately stopped to avoid further complications.

Tragedy in Bovikkana and Rajapuram: Tip of the iceberg! More shocking reports are coming in regarding the ill effects of endosulfan spraying on cashew plantation in Kerala villages. If the available information is any indication, a minimum of a dozen Kasaragod villages will have thousands of poor villagers of all age groups suffering from various incurable ailments - without knowing its cause!

Taking a safe approach, we should dispense with the aerial spraying as obviously the corporation is not able to meet the safety measures indicated on the contamination of water, etc., in the area. It may also be pointed out that during 1976 - 1977 when the aerial spraying trials were conducted in the very same plantations of the Plantation Corporation of Kerala, number of wells and human dwellings were much less than which are present today. Therefore, considering the concern expressed by the people and also as a safety measure, please do advice all the Corporations in the country to suspend endosulfan aerial spraying till conclusive evidence on the safety of aerial spraying of Endosulfan is confirmed, says NRCS's letter to DCCD.

ENDOSULFAN CONSPIRACY

A hard-hitting expose by CSE on how the pesticide industry connived with government officials and scientists in Kerala to lift the ban on a deadly pesticide. At stake here is the integrity of the state government's decision that will impact generations far into the future. It not only spells irreparable harm for the residents of Kerala, but also makes a mockery of public health concerns. Read more at: http://www.downtoearth.org.in/cover_nl.asp?mode=1.

Want to know more about Endosulfan?

Here  is a brief description of the deadly pesticide used on cashew crops in Padre village provided by Pesticide Action Network, UK.

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