The State government has deposited a compensation amount of ₹5 lakh each in the bank accounts of eight endosulfan victims. They had moved a contempt petition in the Supreme Court against the government and received a favourable ruling.
“The government gave excuses to delay payment of compensation. Those who moved the court alone got the money on Friday,” said M.V. Ravindran, an endosulfan victim, who filed the contempt petition. “I would have rejoiced on the occasion, had the government paid compensation to all the victims,” he added.
“The compensation will not mitigate the sufferings of victims. But it will certainly bring some relief,” said K.G. Baiju, another petitioner. “We faced neglect, and the government let us suffer all these years. We were forced to approach the court as a result of it,” he said.
K.K. Ashokan, secretary of Confederation of Endosulfan Victims Rights Collectives, which legally helped the victims, said restrictions on treasuries had caused delay in payment of compensation.
However, District Collector Bhandari Swagat Ranveerchand, convenor of Endosulfan Relief and Remediation Cell, said the process of identifying victims was in progress. After verification, they will be paid full compensation without delay, she added.
