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A group of Left MPs on Tuesday held a protest in Parliament House demanding a ban on endosulfan pesticide and questioned whether the reluctance on part of the government to take action in this regard pointed to another "scam".
Addressing the protesters, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury said 84 countries have banned the pesticide and they are "not fools" to do so.
"We demand a nationwide ban on the pesticide. Why have 84 countries banned it? Why is the government hesitant? That is why we suspect that another scam is waiting to happen."
"Are the companies making a killing by selling these deadly pesticides, in which case who is protecting them? Is that the reason why this government is not imposing a ban on the pesticide?" Yechury said.
He said the Left was not politicising the issue as alleged by Congress. "We are just raising a humanitarian issue," he said.
There is a demand for banning the pesticide across the country with Kerala Chief Minister V S Achutanandan leading the agitation by going on a day-long fast on Monday. The use of endosulfan, which is already banned in Kerala, had led to serious health hazards in Kasargod district.
Rajya Sabha member P Rajeeve said the Left parties were demanding a country-wide ban on the pesticide.
"We are protesting the stand taken by the country at the Stockholm Conference which is dealing with the question of banning the pesticide," he said.
P K Biju, a CPI(M) MP in Lok Sabha, said 84 countries have already banned the pesticide. "There has been 16 conventions earlier. What we need from the government is a strong stand on the issue at the Stockholm Conference," he said.
The Government said on Monday it would take a view on the issue "in the best interest of the country" after the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) submits its report.
"The use of Endosulfan has been banned in Kerala. However, imposing a nationwide ban would require national consensus backed by scientific study," a PMO release said after Oommen Chandy, Leader of Opposition in Kerala and KPCC chief Ramesh Chennithala met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Noting that a committee chaired by the Director General of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) was presently examining the harmful effects of Endosulfan on the health of the people, the PMO said the Committee would be asked to "expedite" its report.
An all-party delegation from the state met the Prime Minister on February 22 and urged him to impose a nationwide ban on the pesticide. The delegation stated that the use of the pesticide had led to serious health hazards in Kasargod.
Addressing the protesters, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury said 84 countries have banned the pesticide and they are "not fools" to do so.
"We demand a nationwide ban on the pesticide. Why have 84 countries banned it? Why is the government hesitant? That is why we suspect that another scam is waiting to happen."
"Are the companies making a killing by selling these deadly pesticides, in which case who is protecting them? Is that the reason why this government is not imposing a ban on the pesticide?" Yechury said.
He said the Left was not politicising the issue as alleged by Congress. "We are just raising a humanitarian issue," he said.
There is a demand for banning the pesticide across the country with Kerala Chief Minister V S Achutanandan leading the agitation by going on a day-long fast on Monday. The use of endosulfan, which is already banned in Kerala, had led to serious health hazards in Kasargod district.
Rajya Sabha member P Rajeeve said the Left parties were demanding a country-wide ban on the pesticide.
"We are protesting the stand taken by the country at the Stockholm Conference which is dealing with the question of banning the pesticide," he said.
P K Biju, a CPI(M) MP in Lok Sabha, said 84 countries have already banned the pesticide. "There has been 16 conventions earlier. What we need from the government is a strong stand on the issue at the Stockholm Conference," he said.
The Government said on Monday it would take a view on the issue "in the best interest of the country" after the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) submits its report.
"The use of Endosulfan has been banned in Kerala. However, imposing a nationwide ban would require national consensus backed by scientific study," a PMO release said after Oommen Chandy, Leader of Opposition in Kerala and KPCC chief Ramesh Chennithala met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Noting that a committee chaired by the Director General of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) was presently examining the harmful effects of Endosulfan on the health of the people, the PMO said the Committee would be asked to "expedite" its report.
An all-party delegation from the state met the Prime Minister on February 22 and urged him to impose a nationwide ban on the pesticide. The delegation stated that the use of the pesticide had led to serious health hazards in Kasargod.
