Second Letter From Endosulfan Victims Of Kasargod
By Sisters of Kasargod
18 March, 2013
Countercurrents.org
Dear Sisters,
As dawn breaks over this rugged landscape in the northern most district of Kerala, we are thinking of our future and that of many to be born here. It does not feel good to be called “endosulfan victims”. We feel we are survivors of a cruel tryst with destiny, of the callous and negligent attitude of a group of planners, scientists and many others who decided it is fine to indiscriminately use the toxic chemical Endosulfan on to our unsuspecting lives.
It is now in our bodies, in the water, air and soil for years to come. As our lives and the lives of our dear children get converted to mere numbers under various health problems prevalent in this region we shudder at the magnitude of this silent and invisible killer- Congenital abnormalities, Mental retardation, Cancer, Infertility, Repeated abortions, Growth retardation, Movement disability, Epilepsy, Psychiatric cases...the list goes on.
The Plantation Corporation of Kerala has been using the pesticide aerially in this area without following any of the rules prescribed. The human settlement pattern of the area along with the frequency of drinking water sources like wells and surangams that are traditional ground water sources cut deep into the hills made the intensity of acute contamination permanent. Everything in this region which our forefathers considered a blessing like the topography, hydrology and geo-morphology turned against us when the aerial spraying started and continued. The rivulets, Panathur and Karicheri which are fed by streams emanating from the hills are tributaries of the Chandragiri River that carries the pesticide runoff from the contaminated soils of the hills on which the plantations are located. In no way is our land suitable for or capable of handling the overload of this chemical that aerial spraying showered on it. Nor were our bodies as is clear from the children born to us…
We now fear for our girls classified as medical cases with growth abnormalities who show undue and fearless attraction to men. Many advise us that it is best to surgically remove their wombs to prevent unwanted pregnancies. How can that solve the problem of their sick bodies and distorted emotions that overpower their helpless minds? Should we not insist on a responsible handholding social system that assures minimum protection to these hapless lives?
We, as mothers have been unable to move freely since the babies have been born. Some need to be fed with masticated food, others might hurt themselves while trying to move, and still others have their minds wrought with unspoken fears and nightmares. There are some among us who have not attended a social function for years- we have not visited our parents even in their death beds. To live with children who are unable to walk, call us mother or father is the biggest curse that has befallen us. Why us? Why anybody? Some of us have secretly decided not to have children, afraid of the blobs of flesh with huge heads that are being born, eyeless and organless bits of painful life that may grow within us? Many of us have refused to feed our babies realizing that the life giving milk in us is a toxic cocktail that maim and kill….
We write all this to put things in perspective in our minds. We do not want to sound like helpless and hapless victims. We want to be bold and true survivors of a mishap of fate. We want to start anew and carry the young bodies of our dear children back to a semblance of life and rejuvenation. We want special schools and homes that will shed a ray of light and hope into the dark overcast minds. We want clinics and sanatoriums that will make an iota of change in their tired and immobile limbs and muscles. We want professional help that will make our children smile and hold, recognize and develop whatever skills their extremely weak conditions would allow. We want our men and brothers to stand by us instead of being mute witnesses. For this to become a reality we want all of you to start pooling all you thoughts, ideas, dreams and skills, so that we get back to life.
This is the message of Life that we want to share with the world. Do listen and respond.
Sisters of Kasargod
Prepared by Anitha.S ( [email protected])
After reading Dr.A.K.Jayashree’s observations and Dr.Vanaja Subash’s Notes as quoted in pages 286-289 of Oppumaram- Envisag Rekhakal – a human document . Envisag 2012. For details contact: [email protected] or M.A.Rahman at 09048576384.
As this is being written, the Endosulfan Peeditha Janakeeya Munnani’s indefinite fast enters a month at Kasargod with leading eco-activist A.Mohankumar on 13th day of hunger strike demanding adequate compensation. On this day, support groups all over Kerala and in Delhi held meetings and fast to bring the issue into focus. Do contact Ambalathara Kunhikrishnan ( 08547654654) for more details.
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