Kerala CM on fast seeking pesticide ban

Kerala Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan launched a day-long hunger strike here on Monday demanding a nationwide ban on endosulfan pesticide and Central assistance for victims of the particular pesticide.

Achuthanandan began the seven-hour long hunger strike from 10 am here with the participation of over 500 people from various walks of society.

The state ministers are leading similar protests in other parts of the state, including at Kasaragod where nearly 5000 people have been seriously affected by endosulfan.

The hunger strike coincides with a conference of parties of Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, beginning in Geneva, on Monday.

The conference will deliberate in a global ban on the pesticide which is known to cause diseases affecting mostly the nervous, immune and reproductive systems.

Achuthanandan hit out at the Centre for not banning endosulfan even though its negative impact has been proven.

He said the Prime Minister has been ?wrongly briefed? by his colleagues on the effects of the pesticide.

?It was strange that the Centre adopted a stand that people in every state should be affected by the pesticide before considering a nationwide ban,? the chief minister said, referring to the Centre?s stand that more than one state must report the negative effect of endosulfan to ban it.

Kerala, which has already banned the pesticide, has been demanding a nationwide ban on it.