The Plantation Corporation of Kerala, the public sector company promoting cash crops, has decided to seek State Government’s permission to move court against the manufactures of Endosulfan, which includes public sector firms like Hindustan Insecticides Limited (HIL). Endosulfan is an off-patent pesticide recently banned in the country for its toxic effects on humans. According to the corporation chairman Varghese George, the manufacturers were actually responsible for the tragedy that had struck several villages in Kasaragod. Mr George was referring to large-scale congenital deformities reported in Kasaragod district. At a press conference, Mr. George said the decision was taken at a recent board meeting; the company will file the cases as soon as the government gives the go-ahead. The chairman drew a parallel between the Bhopal gas tragedy and Kasaragod. He said: In Bhopal, the Union Carbide had been directed to compensate for the damage. Similarly, the endosulfan-producing companies must be held responsible for the ill-effects that have come to light. The liability would have to be placed on the producers indirectly responsible for the contamination, he said. Mr. Varghese said the company had handed over to the government Rs. 27 crore as compensation to be distributed among those affected by the pesticide. The Socialist Janata (Democratic) leader also said the party’s state conference will be organised in Kozhikode on October 11, 12 and 13. Seminars will be conducted as a prelude to the main event. The first seminar on nuclear reactors will be held at the Tagore Centenary Hall in Thrissur on September 28. Endosulfan is a pesticide recently banned in the country for its toxic effects on humans