Kerala seeks sanction for Rs 450 crore welfare package

The Centre has not taken a decision on the Rs 450 crore package submitted by the state government to help people affected by the aerial spraying of endosulfan pesticide in cashew plantations of Kasargod district, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said today. "State has submitted to the Centre a Rs.450 crore package and Centre has not taken a decision on it," Vijayan, who distributed the third instalment of financial assistance to the endosulfan victims today, said in a Facebook post.
The supreme court verdict asking the pesticide company to pay a compensation of Rs.Five lakh each to victims would "bring the light of justice" in affected villages, he said.

It has been decided to conduct special medical camps in the affected areas. Those who need emergency treatment would be considered separately, he said.
Immediate steps would be taken to provide BPL ration cards to those in the endosulfan victims list, he said.
Vijayan said the LDF government has sanctioned Rs.One lakh each to 127 persons who were not included in the list.
Vijayan said government had decided recently to pay compensation of five lakh each to the next of kin of those who died or completely bed-ridden or mentally retarded due to exposure to the pesticide.

Government had decided earlier to give Rs three lakh each to cancer patients and physically challenged persons in instalments and as per that, two instalments have already been made, he said.

The third instalment of Rs 56.76 crore sanctioned recently was the continuation of the financial assistance which was distributed now, he said.
As per the list of victims, there are 257 completely bed-ridden persons, 1161 mentally retarded, 985 physically challenged, 437 cancer patients and 709 persons-dependents of the deceased.