fficial efforts to safely dispose of endosulfan stocks stored in the Plantation Corporation of Kerala (PCK) godowns in Kasaragod and Mannarkad have met with a new hurdle with the Ernakulam district administration refusing to conduct the process on the premises of the Hindustan Insecticides Limited (HIL) at Udyogamandal on the outskirts of Kochi citing possible public opposition. The public sector HIL had earlier agreed to detoxify the stock at Udyogamandal and dispose of it at Ambalamugal.
It was on Saturday when officials of the Endosulfan Rehabilitation Cell of the State government met Ernakulam District Collector M.G. Rajamanickam that he expressed concern over the disposal of endosulfan in the outskirts of Kochi. The Collector told the officials to invite global tender to dispose it of outside the State. When contacted by The Hindu , cell officials said they would take a decision after consulting the State government and HIL authorities.
In all, 1,914 litres of the banned pesticide is stored in PCK godowns. While Rajapuram, Periya and Cheemeni godowns of PCK are storing 1,500 litres, Mannarkkad godown keeps the rest. The State government had earlier set a deadline of December 12, 2014 to declare Kerala endosulfan-free.
Now, close to nine months after the deadline, government agencies are confused about the way ahead.
Though global tenders had been invited earlier for the task, no agency responded. Earlier efforts to take the barrels outside the State to dispose them also failed due to the lack of bidders. It was after long persuasion that the HIL agreed to undertake the safe disposal of the banned pesticide. The pesticide stock was transferred into high density polythene drums last year as an additional safety valve in the face of the continuing delay.
Muhammed Asheel, nodal officer of the Endosulfan Rehabilitation Cell, told The Hindu that more consultations were required to decide on the way ahead. “We will conduct the disposal only in a transparent and fair manner using the latest technology without causing any safety concerns. The anxieties of the Ernakulam district administration will be take care of,” he said.
The situation is turning complex with residents of Kasaragod and Mannarkkad preparing for agitations seeking measures against the possible leak of the pesticide, which was brought long back for aerial spraying at the plantation estates. The government had promised to dispose of the stock in compliance with the United Nations guidelines.
We will conduct the disposal in a transparent and fair manner without causing any safety concerns, said a nodal officer of endosulfan rehabilitation cell.
