Mangaluru: Sixty three- year- old Albert Menezes and his wife are worried about the future of their son, Santhosh, who has been bedridden for years allegedly as a result of the use of the insecticide, Endosulfan in fields here.
The couple from Kokkada want the government to start a permanent centre to take care of Santhosh and others like him. "Sathosh is 26 years old and has not walked for 25 years. We have to carry him everywhere. We are growing old and we don't know who will look after him after we die," said Mr Menezes.
"Last week Babu Gowda and his family committed suicide as they were worried about future of their Endosulfan affected son, Sadananda. They felt death was the solution. Probably that is the only solution….." he paused, his face reflecting his concern for the future.
The Menezes' situation is typical of every family which claims to have an Endosulfan victim in Dakshina Kannada district. "We have been fighting against Endosulfan for several years, but the government seems to have turned a deaf ear to us," said Endo Virodhi Horata Samithi president, Shridhar Gowda, who says he is an Endosulfan victim himself.
"There have been a couple of suicides of family members of Endosulfan victims. The recent suicide of Babu Gowda and his family was the latest," he said, adding, "Our demand is to start at least one permanent care centre for Endosulfan victims with a physiotherapist and a staff nurse.”
