Mangalore: The Mangalore unit of the Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad staged a protest in front  of the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Mangalore on December 19, Wednesday demanding a good  compensation package for the Endosulfan victims of the district from the state government.

Addressing the protestors, Sridhar Gowda, President of the Anti-Endosulfan Committee, Kokkada said  several studies have revealed that  there were hundreds of people who are suffering from disabilities or are crippled for life in at least 93 villages of Dakshina Kannada district due to the aerial spray of the deadly pesticide. He said the failure of the state government to provide a good compensation  package to the affected people have made them lead pathetic lives.

Some of the demands placed forth by the protestors included setting up of  at least one permanent rehabilitation center in every taluk, opening of a day care centre  for every five affected villages, to provide BPL ration card to those who suffered from 75 per cent or above disability, free higher education on behalf of the government to a member of a family which has an endosulfan affected  member. Other demands include free bus passes throughout the state for Endosulfan affected people and their parents and to open  mobile hospitals in affected villages. The protestors also urged the government to even ban food colours.