Kerala at the brink of another endosulfan tragedy

Endosulfan, the banned agrochemical used in a mango plantation in Kerala has caused life-threatening diseases among the local population. Ignorance from the part of Panchayath authorities and the health department has resulted in human sufferings across the tribal colony.

Palakkad: Tribal population living near a mango farm in Palakkad's Muthalamada face a potential threat to life due to the overuse of pesticides and insecticides in the farm.

According to the reports, the workers contract diseases including cancer and severe deformities while handling the pesticides on the farm. The mango plantation spanning over 4000 hectares has earned Muthalamada the tag of 'Mango City of Kerala.' The farm generates a seasonal profit of around 300 crores.

Endosulfan used in cultivation is believed to be the major factor causing the outbreak of cancer in the tribal region. The phased out insecticide being used extensively raises questions over the management of the farm which clearly has no regards for the health condition of its own workers.

Hemalatha, a five-year-old residing in Babu colony near Muthalamada is a victim of the banned agrochemical. She suffers from deformities and has lost her eyesight.

The environmental activists in the area have criticised private owners of the farm. But the tribals fear the loss of employment and the revenue they generate from the farm thereby keeping numb about the "spray of death."

Ignorance from the part of panchayath authorities and the health department has resulted in human sufferings across the tribal colony.

Endosulfan has already destroyed biodiversity and life near cashew plantations in Kerala's Kasargod since the early 1970s. If the situation repeats itself in Muthalamada, then Kerala is at the brink of another endosulfan tragedy.