Take heed: Endosulfan is capable of being highlighted as an election issue

No doubt, the fall-out of indiscriminate use of Endosulfan, the destructive pesticide, has been severe and inhuman. We have been listening to reports about the catastrophic effect on human beings. Noted writer M.T.Vasudevan Nair had said he was incapable of visiting victims with deformed bodies, and revolting scenes.
Satirist Chemmanam Chacko has joined forces with the group demanding setting up of a sanatorium for the victims.

World renowned agricultural scientist Dr M.S.Swaminathan had said human beings come first in consideration and harmful effects on them should cause ban on use of Endosulfan.

Likewise, almost all leaders, political, social and intellectual, have fallen in line with the demand for ban of Endosulfan.

The after-effects may have been different in other states and other regions, because of the difference in the soil conditions and lesser propensity for the pesticide to mix with running water, streams and the like. In other areas, the impact on human beings might not have been highlighted.

Anyway, in Kerala, the fall-out has been disastrous, which has not been initially taken into account by Prof K.V.Thomas when he read out a speech on behalf of Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar at Kasaragod. Later, Prof Thomas saw reason considering the all-out opposition to the deleterious substance and he has become neutral in advice.

That a scientist who had endorsed the use of Endosulfan earlier is being pressed into service as chairman of a committee to look into the issue afresh has attracted widespread criticism.

In Kerala, the LDF could seize it as an opportunity to criticise the Congress Party, as it was Prof Thomas who initially made the opinion that no report had pinpointed the harmful nature of Endosulfan.

Luckily, the Congress Party in Kerala has supported the ban on Endosulfan. The State is on the threshold of Assembly election and the Congress Party , as well as the LDF, cannot antagonise the people.