Demand mounts for an AIIMS model hospital in Kasaragod

Kasaragod, Jul 23: Prominent anti-nuclear activist S P Udayakumar has called for setting up the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) model hospital offered to the State in Kasaragod district.

He said that it could be an atonement by the State for the prolonged aerial spraying of the pesticide endosulfan in cashew estates which resulted in the tragedy for hundreds of families in the district.

He said it was a disaster of greater magnitude than of December 1984 Bhopal disaster. It would be necessary to launch mass protests, including hunger strike, to see that the proposed hospital is set up in Kasaragod, Mr. Udayakumar said. Mr. Udayakumar was inaugurating a convention hosted by the Endosulfan Peeditha Janakeeya Munnani (EPJM) on Saturday to mount pressure on the State to chose Kasaragod for setting up the hospital.

“It is sad to note that the distraught and cash-strapped families residing in remote hamlets, continue to rush their afflicted wards to far off hospitals in the hope of availing expert medical care,” he pointed out.

The largely attended function held at the Town Cooperative bank auditorium, was chaired by EPJM president Muneesa Ambalathara, an endosulfan victim afflicted with vision impairment right from birth. Besides social activist Ambikasudan Mangad, retired Kasaragod government college Principal V. Gopinath and EPJM Secretary Ambalathara Kunhikrishnan took part in the meet.