The Kasaragod Declaration

We, the Participants of the National Workshop, that assembled under the Chairmanship of Sri P Karunakaran, MP and that was inaugurated by the Hon'ble Chief Minister of the Kerala State, Sri Oommen Chandy and consisted of the People's representatives and leaders, activists and members of social, cultural, health and environmental organisations, experts in various fields, the victims and survivors of the endosulfan induced tragedy, the District administration and the Local Self Government members, recognise and accept the importance of rejuvenating the ecology of our land and remediating the health and rehabilitating and rebuilding the social systems of our people. 

We consider it a matter of pride that, as the affected people of Kasaragod, all the struggles that we fought was instrumental in getting a global ban of Endosulfan.

Our efforts to provide relief and remediate the impacted communities in Kasaragod in a  chemical disaster with highly complicated ramifications, had no models that we could follow.   Nevertheless, even in such a situation all of us including Peoples representatives, Government and Voluntary activists developed a democratic, collective process, which we, in this Workshop, reiterate that we will continue till our goal is achieved.

We recognise the impact and the complicated manifestations that the insecticide Endosulfan has caused to our land, people and biodiversity. We also see that problems are appearing afresh each day, many of which have become unpredictable. We also understand that in the areas where the poison was aerially sprayed, the common people, especially the socially and economically backward, continue to lead painful and suffering lives.  We continue to be concerned about the new generation being born with genetic abberations, and the tumultous future that is in store for them as well as the generations to come.

The health conditions of the people born in the Endosulfan  impacted areas is complicated. We understand that more efforts need to be taken, than has been done now, to establish the adequate systems and facilities needed to address such a complicated situation. We have understood through our experience that the direct and indirect impacts of the disaster are mostly borne by our women.

The various disabilities or different challenges with which many of our children were born have caused serious disruptions to their education.  We recognise that there needs to be more clarity as to the method of education that needs to be rendered to such children.  We understand that it is our responsibility to develop educational models and setup adequate systems to ensure that these children gain the confidence to overcome their difficulties, and to explore and develop their creative skills.

We realise that it is our immediate responsibility to take necessary activities to rescue our nature from the environmental impacts caused by the insecticide endosulfan.  We understand that the rejuvenation of the eco-system is a long term challenge.  The priority is to see how  social, economic and cultural sustainability can be established.  We recognise that this National Workshop CONCORD '12 is an important step towards building a paradigm and action plans for the same.

We realise the importance of a collective and concerted process to coordinate the various rehabilitation efforts being taken up. We also realise that we need to establish a dynamic monitoring system to ensure the effective and timely implementation of the planned programmes.

With the above understanding that came up from the various discussions and recommendations during the National Workshop, the CONCORD '12 declares the following...

  • That we shall undertake adequate measures to improve the quality of life of the surviving people.

  • That we shall undertake Short term and Long term measures to convert Kasaragod from a poison affected land to a poison-free land.

  • That a comprehensive and integrated health rejuvenation and treatement programme which is both sustainable and free shall be given to all the survivors of Kasaragod through the active participation of all sectors of the society.

  • That programmes to revive the confidence of the survivors to enable them to actively participate in their normal social life as well as activities will be undertaken.

  • That necessary projects for social rehabilitation will be undertaken for sustainable livelihoods to be established.

  • That programmes shall be undertaken to improve the quality of the educational and academic system.

  • That the BUDS Schools which provide alternate and special education for those children that cannot go to regular schools for various reasons will be qualitatively improved.

  • That a National Research Centre will be established to study the special problems and needs of the affected children and to develop adequate activities for their overall development.

  • That development and marketing centres shall be established to develop comprehensive livelihood opportunities that incorporate their full life span, through developing the creative skills of the survivors.

  • That efforts shall be take to put continued pressure and intervention to get all the orders of the National Human Rights Commission implemented.

  • That efforts shall be undertaken to put pressure on the State and Central Governments to allot adequate funds and support for the socio-economic and ecological rehabilitative programmes.

We, the people, who declare solidarity to the affected survivors of the endosulfan tragedy hereby commit that we shall take all efforts and interventions necessary to rejuvenate the ecology of Kasaragod,  to lead our surviving brothers and sisters who are leading a painful life into a life of confidence and dignity, and to lead them to be an integral part of the main stream of society, and to make them a natural part of the social, cultural and political life of our land.


Decisions on the Preliminary Steps taken

Based on the Kasaragod Declaration of the National Workshop CONCORD '12 conducted at Kasaragod during 22,23 July 2012.

  • Task Forces has been setup for the Five focus areas. Further coordination will continue under the Endosulfan Victims Relief and Remediation Cell.  A report will be produced in one months time.

  • Based on the Central Govt Order that MPs fund can be used for social rehabilitation activities, Sri P Karunakaran MP has allotted Rs. 1 crore for the Endosulfan victims rehabiliation work.

  • The Central Government will be requested to declare the Kasaragod Endosulfan Disaster as a National disaster like the Tsunami or Bhopal disasters, and to request each MP to donate Rs. 25 lakh each to the Relief fund for Kasaragod victims.

  • A separate delegation will go to the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister requesting the participation and funding of the Central and State Governments in the relief programmes.

  • A project proposal will be prepared within two months for a National Relief and Rehabilitation Research Centre, and submitted to NABARD and adequate funds shall be ensured.

  • The Endosulfan relief and remediation Cell shall be the coordination agency for all the rehabilitaion programmes happening in Kasaraod by various agencies including the Governemnt agencies and individuals.

  • The District Planning Committee shall ensure that all the LSGs  incorporate a biodiversity restoration and rejuvenation programme in their 12th Five Year plan formation. The DPC Chairman and Convener will take the responsibility for the same.

  • The Kasaragod Jilla Panchayath will expand and continue the special projects THANAL and Adhijeevanam for the affected victims.
     

 

Down to Earth

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November 21, 2017

Disposal of endosulfan begins

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November 21, 2017

'SLAPP'ed but will not submit

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November 21, 2017

Can business be responsible

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November 21, 2017

Want to be fried?

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November 21, 2017

Media hype

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November 21, 2017

Children of endosulfan

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November 21, 2017

LIES, DAMN LIES AND ENDOSULFAN

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November 21, 2017

What Dubey did

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November 21, 2017

State of endosulfan

 Reports
CSE study: 'Analysis of
samples from Padre Village in Kasaragod district of Kerala for Endosulfan Residues'.

Feb 21, 2001

 
Dr A Achyuthan committee report

November 2001

 
NIOH Final report of the investigation of unusual
illnesses allegedly produced by
Endosulfan exposure in Padre village of Kasargod district

(N. Kerala) July, 2002

 
Report of the expert
committee on Endosulfan
health hazards appointed by
Kerala Govt

August, 2003

 
India's endosulfan disaster: a review of the health impacts
and status of remediation

October, 2009

 
USEPA - Endosulfan: The
health effects division's human health risk assessment

June, 2010

 
Report On Health Effects Of Endosulfan And Progress Of Rehabilitation Activities In
Kerala" by Govt. of Kerala

April 20, 2011

 
Counter Affidavit filed on
behalf of the first respondent

April 2011

 
ICMR Report: Effect of Long
Term Endosulfan
Exposure on Male Fertility

May 31, 2011

 
Monitoring of Endosulfan
Residues in the 11 Panchayaths of Kasaragod District, Kerala
by Kerala State Council for
Science, Technology and Environment

June 2011

 
Interim Joint Committee
Report on Endosulfan

August 2011

 
Epidemiological study of health status of Population at
Kasaragode District, Kerala by Government MedicalCollege, Calicut, Kerala

2010-2011

 
 Letters
Letter to Dr Mohan Kumar for claims made in TV programme 'Satyamev Jayate'

August 31, 2012  

 
Letter to all states
(except Kerala & Karnataka)
by Additional Secretary, Ministry
of Agriculture,
Government of India

April 27, 2011  

 
Letter to Sharad Pawar by
Minister of Farmer's Welfare
and Agriculture Development, Government of Madhya
Pradesh

April 28, 2011  

 
Sharad Pawar's letter to
Sunita Narain

April 05, 2011

 
CSE letter to Secretary, Union Agriculture Ministry

September 5, 2005  

 
CSE letter to Kerala MPs

April 17, 2004

 
CSE letter to Kerala High
Court Judges and key lawyers
in Kerala

April 17, 2004

 
CSE letter to Justice
A.S. Anand, Chairman, National Human Rights Commission,

April 14, 2004

 
CSE letter to Agriculture Commissioner

November 17. 2004  

 
Letter from Crop Care
Federation of India

August 25, 2005

 
Letter from EMFWA
 
CENTEGRO's letter to CSE
(2008)
 
CENTEGRO's letter to
Sunita Narain
 
 Presentation
 
Disclosed: Lies about
endosulfan
 
 Judgement
Supreme Court ban on
Endosulfan

May 13, 2011

 
Kerala High Court order
banning aerial spray of
endosulfan

August 12, 2002

 
 Other Reports
Synopsis of peer reviewed International studies prepared
by Arogya Keralam Kasaragod
(district programme monitoring
and support unit)
 
Synopsis of peer reviewed
studies done in India prepared
by Arogya Keralam Kasaragod
(district programme monitoring
and support unit)
 
Bio-alternatives to Endosulfan suggested by Society for
Elimination of Rural Poverty
(SERP)
 
Alternative to Endosulfan in
NPM as suggested by Centre
for Sustainable Agriculture
 
Synopsis of Literature on
Health Effects of Endosulfan
 
How to Grow Crops without Endosulfan - PAN Germany
 
Endosulfan poisoning in Padre village: Industry's dirty tactics

Decmeber 2008

 
Gazette notification for

restriction on use of

Endosulfan in the cashew

plantation area in the State of Kerala

December 13, 2005