New govt directive excludes children born after October 2011 from endosulfan victim

The Kerala government, under a controversial order, has decided that children born after October 2011 will no longer be recognized as victims of endosulfan, regardless of their conditions and symptoms. The move, met with dismay from activists and affected families, is based on the government’s assertion that the environmental persistence of endosulfan cannot exceed six years. The cessation of aerial spraying of the pesticide on October 25, 2005, according to a gazette notification, sets the maximum environmental persistence until October 25, 2011, as per the order. Persistence, in this context, denotes the duration a contaminant remains in the environment.

This decision was reached following recommendations from an expert committee established on August 5. Headed by Dr. Thomas Mathew, the Director of Medical Education, the committee, comprised doctors from Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, and a doctor from NIMHANS. The committee’s mandate was to identify endosulfan victims based on available scientific evidence. The directive has sparked criticism and concerns, especially among those advocating for the rights of individuals affected by endosulfan exposure in Kerala.