Kasaragod endosulfan victims fear denial of free medicine and treatment

The endosulfan victims of Kasaragod are launching a stir fearing that free medicine supply and treatment might get affected owing to fund crunch.

A protest march will be taken out to the revenue divisional office at Kanhangad in Kasaragod on Wednesday under the aegis of the Endsulfan Peeditha Janakeya Munnani, a forum for endosulfan victims.

The forum president Ambalathara Kunhikrishnan said that funds from the National Health Mission (NHM) were being used for meeting the treatment and medicine expenses of the endosulfan victims since 2010. But the NHM stopped the funds last year. Though the government decided to provide funds from Kasaragod Development Package meant for addressing the district's backwardness, it was yet to materialise. Owing to fund dues, many medical shops were reluctant to provide medicines to endosulfan victims. This triggered fears that free medicine and treatment for endosulfan victims are being stopped.

District medical authorities said that the government already issued an order to release Rs 4.5 crore from Kasaragod Development Package for endosulfan victims and it was expected any time.