Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday said the Left government has an empathetic attitude towards the strike called by social activist Daya Bai seeking justice for endosulfan victims of Kasaragod district. Daya Bai began her indefinite hunger strike in front of the state secretariat here on October 2, seeking justice for endosulfan victims of Kasaragod district. The Kerala government had on Sunday said it was ready to accept at least 90 per cent of her demands.
Vijayan, who met the media here, said the government has assured to meet three out of her four demands. "The state government has an empathetic attitude towards her protest and that's why two state ministers went to have a discussion with her. We have accepted three of her demands but her demand for setting up of an AIIMS in the district cannot be accepted by the state government," Vijayan said.
He said AIIMS was decided to be set up in the Kozhikode district. Vijayan said the Left government wants to solve the issues faced by the endosulfan victims in the state. "We will organise medical camps to identify the endosulfan victims in the district. Various hospitals including the medical college, the general hospital and the district hospital will have priority to endosulfan victims. Similar facilities will be arranged at the Kanhagadu hospital, which will be fully operational soon," Vijayan told the reporters.
He said the state government has accepted her demands and expressed hope that she will withdraw her strike.
The state government had on Monday given a written assurance on the demands raised by Daya Bai, who is on a hunger strike seeking justice for endosulfan victims of Kasaragod district. Even after the assurances, the 81-year old activist has not called off her strike saying her demands were not met. State Health Minister Veena George's office had said that written assurances were given to Daya Bai based on her meeting with state ministers on Sunday.
The social activist had alleged that the state government had abandoned the victims. State Ministers R Bindhu and George visited Daya Bai on Sunday and assured her that all her demands would be met. After the talks, the social activist had said she would not back down from her strike unless a written assurance was received from the government. Endosulfan, an organochlorine insecticide and acaricide was used widely on crops like cashew, cotton, tea, paddy, fruits and others until 2011 in Kerala, when the apex court banned its production and distribution. Endosulfan's toxic effects on humans and related health hazards are well-known.
Daya Bai is on strike to ensure proper and better healthcare facilities in Kasaragod district, where there are a maximum number of victims.
The social activist was shifted to a hospital on October 4 after her health deteriorated. However, she resumed her satyagraha soon after her discharge. On October 8, Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan visited Daya Bai and pledged his support to her.
He had attacked the Left government for not holding talks with the 81-year old even after days of her hunger strike. The social activist had sought to ensure better healthcare facilities in the Kasaragod district and also demanded that an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) be set up there. She also demanded care centres in all grama panchayats, special medical camps for endosulfan victims and provision of home-based care for bed-ridden patients.
The Supreme Court had on May 13 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.
The top court had in January 2017 directed the CPI(M)-led government to disburse compensation and rehabilitation packages for endosulfan pesticide victims.
The court had ordered the government to provide a compensation of Rs five lakh each to the next of kin of people who died following exposure to the pesticide and those who became bed-ridden or mentally challenged. (PTI)
