People's Democracy

 APEX COURT HEARING ON ENDOSULFAN

DYFI to Continue Fighting Pesticide Mafia

After the hearing on endosulfan case (writ petition (C) No 213 of May 2011) in the Supreme Court on August 5, 2011 where the manufactures of endosulfan and the central government argued for lifting the ban, the central executive committee (CEC) of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) issued the following statement.

ON August 5, 2011, when the Supreme Court was hearing the case, the manufactures and the central government argued for lifting the ban on endosulfan. The Supreme Court did not allow their prayer and the ban is still continuing. The point is that, instead of explaining its clear stand on the issue, why the central government is working to serve the interests of the Excel group, the manufactures of endosulfan --- a dangerous pesticide already banned in 104 countries. The DYFI has collected 315 different study reports from all over India on its serious health hazards and some of these were submitted before the Supreme Court. There are 1,500 other study reports collected from abroad on this issue.

What is to be noted is that the government of India itself has submitted a list of 67 such pesticides (including the now banned endosulfan) which have been banned or severely restricted in several other countries but are still being used in India. What is clear is that, instead of explaining its clear stand on endosulfan and other dangerous pesticides, the central government is lobbying with the manufactures.

In such a situation, the DYFI has decided to further intensify its struggle against pesticides which have serious health hazards. While the organisation has decided to move the High Courts in different states, pleading for a detail scientific study with regard to the pesticides which have been banned or severely restricted in several other countries but are still being used in India, it has also decided to form joint platforms at various levels all over the country to mobilise public opinion against pesticide mafia.