For quite a long time, the killer pesticide Endosalfan has been a matter of strong debate among people from various walks of life. The opposition and the ruling parties locked horn with each other on this issue many a time. After a slew of incidents which registered the plight of the victims and the might of political parties,finally there came a blanket ban the use of this mortal pesticide. But the problem never ends here, what we experience now is just a silence before a raging storm. Though Geneva Convention ended with a decision to ban Endosulfan in all developing countries, doubts with regard to an alternative for the pesticide still remain unresolved. It allows nations to go on with the use of Endosulfan as long as a new alternative is invented. in this special situation, can we call this 'ban' an effective one?. It is only an attempt to shut the mouths of the activists who are striving to bring to light the toll this slow poison has taken on the lives of the people living in and around the plantations where the pesticide is still being used.
The rehabilitation of the victims is yet another problem that looms large before us. It is a fact that none of the politicians in the country has the courage and confidence either to take a strong step against the manufactures of this poison or to provide the hapless victims with provisional help. V.S Achudanandan observed a fast as a mark of his support for the woebegone victims in Kasargod, LDF called for state-wide hartal, Youth Congress diplored the stance of UPA Govt. on this issue, but none met with success. I consider all these mere attempts to politicize the issue. Had they been really sympathetic towards the preys of Endosalfan, they would have taken a strong step to rehabilitate them, to impart them necessary medical facilities and to give financial aids. Dear politicians, don't take this ban on Endoslfan to your credit. It will never fall out of favor as long as a new killer replaces it.
