The Kerala government today decided to stop endosulfan production at the Eloor unit of Hindustan Insecticides Ltd (HIL).
The Kerala State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) had banned the use of endosulfan in the state last November after reports of deaths due to the pesticide in 12 villages of Kasargode district.
Announcing the decision, State Health Minister Adoor Prakash said the government had also decided to withdraw the closure notice issued to the company by KSPCB for repeatedly vilolating the directions to remove hazardous chemical waste from the unit.
The people from Eloor-Kalamassery area had lodged complaints against the unit for causing severe health problems to those living in its vicinity.
KSPCB Chairman K Sajeevan said the company had been dumping chemical residue inside the premises of the factory since 2006, which was against various pollution control Acts and KSPCB had issued warning notices to the company several times.
A team of experts from KSPCB had inspected the factory on May 2 and reported that the waste was still lying there. Following this, the closure notice was issued, he said, adding that this act of the company was highly dangerous to the people in the surrounding area and could pollute the water sources there, including river Periyar.
The factory is situated on the banks of the Periyar, the drinking water source for a major chunk of people in the Ernakulam district, including Kochi city. The unit has a capacity to produce 1,600 tonnes of Endosulfan per annum, 1,344 tonnes of DDT and 150 tonnes of Dicofol.
