Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Endosulfan poisoning: The other side of the story

The controversial pesticide Endosulfan, which is allegedly the cause for diseases and deformity is being widely debated online. While a lot needs to be understood about the subject, in terms of scientific facts and rationale, armchair critics have found a convenient way to rile up the masses based on media reports on the issue.

To every story, there is always an other side, which Voice Of  Keralam hopes to bring to the forefront, so people can take an objective decision before making any judgment based on popular opinion.

During such a quest to unearth the truth and alternate voices in the system we came across the following revelation, which was quite shocking to us. Please observe the screen-grabs from Google Search Index to see for yourself.


Google search for Endosulfan workers rally in Bhavnagar held on November 17, 2010 in Gujarat. You can see the Manorama Online story featured on page one of search results. 
Stories on Endosulfan workers from Bhavnagar demanding a withdrawal of the 'fraudulent' NIOH report can be seen here [Link
 
When you click on the link to Manorama Online to view the story, the following 'error' is displayed.


The screen reads "we are sorry the page you are currently viewing is unavailable due to technical problems"

And, here's the original screen-grab of the story retrieved from Google cache pages 

  The actual story  as posted on Manorama Online about the Bhavnagar Rally help in Gujarat to oppose ban of Endosulfan and demand withdrawal of NOIH report. 

Why an esteemed newspaper like Manorama Online which is held in high esteem across the world for its news content and objective journalism, feel the need to specifically remove a story from their online edition, is anybody's educated guess! 

May be it truly is a technical error, so one would like to believe...  



                 

     

Monday, December 27, 2010

Endosulfan not to be blamed for disease says Chittor, Kerala MLA , K Achutan

In this video, Honorable MLA, Mr. K Achutan corroborates Voice of Keralam in stating very openly that the reported victims in  Muthalamada district of Kerala, which have been raked up by the media, blaming Endosulfan for the diseases, deaths and deformities are in fact not true and cannot be trusted. Mr. Achutan also voices his concern that pictures and images featured by the media, of poor children, are not correct and are influencing people against Endosulfan. 





Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) K Achuthan, Chittor district, Kerala has stated that the diseases of the children of Muthalamada are thought not to be due to the use of endosulfan and added that much of it is media hype. In this interview he states that what the media is claiming as deaths and disease of victims cannot be attributed to Endosulfan and he will not support it. Endosulfan is being used for decades in India. By showing pictures and images of poor and helpless children which are widely used by the media, is actually influencing people. He also says that the there is a Christian missionary school nearby which has children with deformities, but it does not mean that they are also affected by Endosulfan.  It is a wrong claim by the media and he cannot support it. Mr. Achutan calls for a proper investigation into the matter. 

In our earlier posts, 'Endosulfan ban aimed to destroy India exports' and  'Vested interests demand Endosulfan ban' we had suspected that there is more to this issue than what meets the eye and what is reported in the media about 'Endosulfan victims' in Kerala. 

Is this India's famed fourth estate which is supposed to uphold the highest level of moral authority and ascribe to the highest level of objectivity before reporting on any issue?


After the expose of Nira Radia tapes and 2G telecom controversy, by OPEN Magazine, there seems to be no reason for the Indian polity to place their belief in the Mainstream Media. 



Thursday, December 23, 2010

Endosulfan ban aimed to destroy India exports

In a story filed by United News India (UNI) today, December 23 2010, there is further corroboration of the fact that there are vested interests involved. Till now we have been wondering what could be the true motive to hoodwink the Indian public in spreading such mass hysteria and dogma that a molecule which has been in use for the last 50 years in the country has come under immense cross fire from all sections of the society.

The truth about Endosulfan backed by
scientific data must be revealed.
The true story and ulterior motive, as it always is, is money. European pesticide manufacturers in collusion with certain groups in European Union have taken this initiative with the agenda to dent India's chemical industry. The trade implications are tremendous, if seen in a global context.



European Union lobby groups involved
in calling for a ban on Endosulfan
...the European Union (EU) lobby wanted its elimination to destroy 70 per cent of the world exports of the product from India...arguments put forward by an international committee for imposing the ban was not based on scientific evidence, but by the brute display of voting power by the members...



Imagine, such an important decision for India, is proposed to be taken through a vote amongst members who do not even use, manufacture or are involved in the trade of Endosulfan rather than through consensus of all members. This is an example of economic imperialism agenda which western forces try to impose on the world. In a oligopoly, the new world order still reeks of a post World War hangover.

...on the basis of submissions made by EU, the Chemical Review Committee of Persistent Organic Pollutant had recommended Endosulfan for listing as a (POP) which is based on voting, rather than on scientific data...
In the time to come, we expect more on information on this front and we will ensure we seek the truth. We are sure anyone reading this blog post, if not convinced about the inherent duality of EU, is inspired enough to read both sides of the story.

ലോങ്ങ്‌ ലൈവ് കേരള!    

H./T: NewKerala.com : Ban on 'Endosulfan' aimed at destroying India's exports

Full text of the story:

Endosulfan ban aimed to destroy India exports 
New Delhi, Dec 22: The insecticide industry was today up in arms against banning of Endosulfan, an input used in agriculture production, saying the European Union (EU) lobby wanted its elimination to destroy 70 per cent of the world exports of the product from India.

The industry was of the view that arguments put forward by an international committee for imposing the ban was not based on scientific evidence, but by the brute display of voting power by the members.

The manufacturers, who came under one umbrella, dared the committee to bring forth scientific data, justifying its proposed ban.

They said that they would be willing to swallow the bullet if it was proved on the basis of imperical evidence that it causes dreaded diseases like cancer.

At a joint press conference here, representatives of Pesticides Manufacturers and Formulators Association of India (PMFAI), Endosulfan Manufacturers and Formulators Association (EMFA) and International Stewardship Centre (ISC), argued that the EU has alternate products which it can bring into use as an insectide, but India will be at complete loss if the ban is effected.

Talking to reporters here, ISC chairman R Hariharan said on the basis of submissions made by EU, the Chemical Review Committee of Persistent Organic Pollutant had recommended Endosulfan for listing as a (POP) which is based on voting, rather than on scientific data.

Several countries, including India and China have strongly opposed the decision which has been taken by voting, and favoured decision making by consensus.

Though the Stockholm Convention is yet to take a final decision on the recommendaton on Endosulfan in April 2011, Mr Hariharan said a number of countries announced a ban or a phase out of the product over a 3 to 5 year period.

''Based on these recommendations, over 60 countries have joined the EU call for a ban on endosulfan,'' the chairman said.

The 60 countries include 27 EU member states and 21 countries in Africa.

Strangely none of the independent regulatory actions in many of these countries have been based on incidences of adverse human health in any of these countries, he said.

He said the EU manfuacturers, which hold nearly 60 per cent of world's exports of chemicals, intends to maintain its control over chemicals which are the second largest traded merchandise in the world, next only to fuels.

India's share in the global Endosulfan market is over 70 per cent, Mr Hariharan said.

The European manufacturers, whose exports share of Endosulfan is declining, have decided to stop selling the product by the end of this year.

Speaking on the occasion, PMFAI president Pradip Dave said thousands of farmers using Endosulfan have not had any issues relating to human health.

Currently, the Indian market of Endosulfan is about 12 million litres annually valued at Rs 270 crore.

In India, there are three manufacturers of Endosulfan, including Hindustan Insecticides Ltd.

At present, the overall Indian agrochemical market stands at Rs 5,200 crore and Endosulfan Rs 300 crore.
--UNI

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Vested interests demand Endosulfan ban: PMFAI

Vested interests in demanding ban on endosulfan: PMFAI
We observed this update from Press Trust of India (PTI) today on Wednesday, December 22, 2010. Voice of Keralam has been a staunch supporter of farmers and workers in India. The recent Endosulfan controversy and public calls to ban Endosulfan, an immensely useful insecticide did not go down well with us, after we looked into the real scientific facts and data. This story validates that Voice of Keralam is the true voice of the people of God's own country. We will continue to watch development on Endosulfan as they unfold and ensure that the truth is presented in its originality from all sides, to give cut through the noise and bring you the reality.       
   

New Delhi: Domestic pesticide makers today said that the demand for banning endosulfan pesticide in India is being driven by vested interests of Multinational firms.

"The demand for banning Endosulfan in India, is motivated by the vested interest of European pesticide makers, who are interested in promoting their patented products in the country," Pesticides Manufacturers and Formulators Association of India (PMFAI) President Pradeep Dave told reporters here.

European companies, which have vested business interests are lobbying for imposing an international ban on endosulfan as the ban would create a market for their products in the third world countries, he said.

Endosulfan Workers oppose ban.
Endosulfan is being used for the last 50 years
in India with no negative health effects.
The replacement pesticide will be at least
10 times costlier than Endosulfan. 
Dave added that endosulfan is being used in the country for the last 50 years and there has been no such scientific records available, which indicate that the use of this chemical has resulted into serious health hazards of any kind.

International Stewardship Centre, an NGO working for chemical industry, said that replacing endosulfan with any other chemical would be at least 10 times costlier for the Indian farmers.

"A litre of endosulfan costs Rs 250 to Indian farmers whereas any chemical manufactured by multinational would cost more than Rs 2,500 per litre thus making the use of pesticides 10 times costlier," International Stewardship Centre Chairman R Hariharan said.

He said that India is the largest producer, user and exporter of endosulfan. The total market in India for the pesticide is around USD 60 million and the country exports around another USD 40 million worth endosulfan

Source: Press Trust of India (PTI)


True victims of Endosulfan: Workers & Farmers of India

Workers rally in Bhavnagar opposes ban on Endosulfan

Video of Workers in Bhavnagar, Gujarat who held a rally to oppose the proposed ban on Endosulfan.
Workers employed in Endosulfan manufacturing plants in two states of India, Gujarat and Kerala, have opposed the suggested ban on Endosulfan in India. On November 17 2010, a delegation of senior Endosulfan workers led by Former President of BJP Gujarat unit and prominent BJP Leader Rajendra Rajendra Singh Rana and Mrs. Vibhavari Dave, local leader and Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA), from Bhavnagar, Gujarat submitted a memorandum to the district collector’s office in Bhavnagar to withdraw the NIOH report calling for ban of Endosulfan.





For more see India section on Endosulfan Wikipedia page [Endosulfan - Wikipedia page]

HIL workers at Kerala Endosulfan plant seek probe into NIOH study: Kochi, Kerala

HIL Endosulfan Workers Rally in Kochi, Kerala (representation)
Kochi, Kerala December 17, 2010:
Endosulfan was manufactured and used for more than 50 years across the world and continues to be in use in many countries without any ill effects to humans or environment. Endosulfan has proved to be harmless to beneficial insects and pollinating agents such as honey bees etc. It is among the top five insecticides in the world. In relation to Endosulfan's use inside India the workers argued that Endosulfan would have shown its harmful effects elsewhere in India as it is extensively used across the country on crops such as cotton, sugarcane, spices, vegetables, fruits, etc. Millions of Indian farmers have been using Endosulfan for over 35 years and continue to use it as it has been cost effective and safe.

Speaking during the dharna, one of the workers' representatives pointed out that Kerala had stopped use of Endosulfan in 2002 and it is strange that the harmful effects were brought to light only recently. Endosulfan was sprayed across 10000 acres of Cashew crops throughout Kerala, prior to the ban - had Endosulfan been the cause of physical problems inside Kasargod, the Kerala state should have witnessed similar cases elsewhere as well.


The workers' representatives added that studies conducted by Kerala Sasthra Sahitya Parishad, Achuthan Commission, Kerala Agriculture University, IMA, Dubey Committee have concluded of no linkage between use of Endosulfan and the reports of health problems to the use of Endosulfan on the health problems reported at the Kasargod district of Kerala. All these studies have been conducted as recently as in the last eight years. It is their demand that, rather than ensuing a new study on the pesticide Endosulfan, it will be relevant to seek an independent investigation into the flaws observed in the study which was released by the National Institute of Occupational Health (NIOH).


The NIOH study was adopted by NGOs for propaganda against the generic pesticide Endosulfan since year 2002. To prove this point, the workers demanded that their blood samples be tested to validate against the published findings in NIOH report. The workers also made observations that the campaign against Endosulfan led by environmental NGOs like Thanal is suspect on their motives in the backdrop of studies conducted by other bodies. Based on unscientific approach, the demands made by local NGOs should not be taken into account for considering such a serious decision affecting our country's agriculture and food security.


There are over 6000 workers employed in the manufacturing of Endosulfan in various plants of India and 400 of these workers are employed in the HIL plant.

H/T Business Standard Story [Link]