Thiruvananthapuram, Saturday 12 December 2009: The government will set up a special ward at the Kasaragod General Hospital and operate mobile vans for reaching medical assistance to the victims of endosulfan in Kasasargod district.

Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan told the media after a conference convened to discuss the relief and rehabilitation of the victims that the mobile medical service would have allopathy and ayurveda doctors to extend suitable treatment to the victims.

The Chief Minister announced that sufficient budget provisions would be made for relief and remediation of the victims. Besides, funds would be raised for relief and remediation by district and grama panchayats, Social Welfare Department and non-governmental organisations.

Achuthanandan said that of the 1,996 victims identified by the Health Department, 103 were severe cases.

A family member who is looking after such a patient with a severe handicap would be sanctioned monthly assistance of Rs.250 under a scheme of the Social Welfare Department.

That would be in addition to the pension for the disabled at Rs.250 a month. Surgeries would be continued to be done at Pariyaram Medical College Hospital for those requiring surgical intervention.

The Science and Technology and Health departments would jointly conduct a study on the effects of endosulfan and the condition of the victims.

The Chief Minister took strong exception to a statement of Union Minister for Agriculture Sharad Pawar against the ban on endosulfan.
The Union Minister had made the statement without making any studies.

Endosulfan had contaminated the soil and water resources in the district and Pawar, who is the Minister for the entire nation, should not have ignored that, Achuthanandan said. He added that the ban on endosulfan would continue in Kerala. Health Minister P.K. Sreemathy and Special Secretary Usha Titus and other officials attended the conference.

The next meeting of the Cabinet will consider proposals for making rice at Rs.2 available to the families of endosulfan victims and continuation of the payment of Rs.50,000 each to the families of victims who succumb to their affliction.