ENDOSULFAN

Endosulfan is a pesticide belonging to the organochlorine group of pesticides, under the Cyclodiene subgroup. Introduced in the 1950's, it emerged as a leading chemical used against a broad spectrum of insects and mites in agriculture and allied sectors. It acts as contact and stomach poison and has a slight fumigant action1. It is used in vegetables, fruits, paddy, cotton, cashew, tea, coffee, tobacco and timber crops132. It is also used as a wood preservative and to control tse-tse flies and termites5. It is not recommended for household use.Intentional misuse of endosulfan for killing fish2,57and snails71 has also been reported. Endosulfan was also reported as used deliberately as a method of removing unwanted fish from lakes before restoring.

INDIA strictly banned the production and use of Endosulfan in the country by an important and long waiting court order in May 13, 2011. India was the world's largest user of endosulfan, and a major producer with three companies—Excel Crop Care, Hindustan Insecticides Ltd, and Coromandal Fertilizers—producing 4,500 tonnes annually for domestic use and another 4,000 tonnes for export.

In 2001, in Kerala, India, endosulfan spraying became suspect when linked to a series of abnormalities noted in local children. Initially endosulfan was banned, yet under pressure from the pesticide industry this ban was largely revoked. The situation there has been called "next in magnitude only to the Bhopal gas tragedy.

The pesticide as banned in the State when A.K. Antony was Chief Minister following a report by the National Institute of Occupational Health. The report had then stated that Endosulfan was behind the dreadful state of farmers and children in Kasaragod.

In 2006, in Kerala, compensation of Rs 50,000 was paid to the next kin of each of 135 people who were identified as having died as a result of endosulfan use. Chief Minister V. S. Achuthanandan also gave an assurance to people affected by poisoning, "that the government would chalk out a plan to take care of treatment, food and other needs of the affected persons and that its promise of rehabilitation of victims would be honoured." He had repeatedly persuaded the prime minister Manmohan Singh and the central government to bring nationwide ban on Endosulfan.