Govt Must Form A Team Of Docs To Advise Tribunal: Report The state-appointed three-member expert committee on endosulfan issue has recommended constitution of a single-member tribunal and relief fund for endosulfan victims in Kasaragod. The expert committee was constituted by the government to recommend the source of funds for endosulfan victims and the constitution of a tribunal to rehabilitate the victims. “Going by the nature of disputes arising in the course of implementation of the packages, benefits and incentives granted by the government based on recommendations of National Human Rights Commission, people’s representatives, NGOs and victims, we recommend a comprehensive legislation providing -- among other things -- the constitution of a single-member tribunal with aserving judicial officer of the rank of a district judge as presiding officer,’’ the report said. The committee has recommended that a separate fund needs to be allocated for rehabilitating endosulfan victims. The contributions can be collected from central government, state government, banks, NGOs and sympathizers of endosulfan victims from across the country. “The plantation corporation has already contributed Rs 32 crore for this purpose. So we advise the state not to take up proceedings against plantation corporation,’’ the report observed. The report said that the government should also constitute a team of doctors to advise the tribunal on medical issues that will come up before the tribunal. The team should be stationed in Kasaragod. The tribunal should collect evidence personally from the victims and should be given freedom to conduct a fair enquiry. As far as possible all applications should be disposed within three months after a plea is filed. The committee said that most of the cases would be over within years and the tribunal should be abolished after that, and about the few remaining cases the state can notify them with the approval of high court to a district or additional judge. Endosulfan, an insecticide, was used extensively worldwide on food crops like tea, fruits, vegetables and grains. For 25 years till the insecticide was banned it was indiscriminately aerialsprayed over cashew plantations that contaminated soil, water sources, wildlife and adversely affected the health of people. Already banned in over 80 countries, 127 countries agreed on a worldwide ban at the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POP) in April 2011.