MANGALURU: A 30-year-old endosulfan victim from Belthangady taluk in Dakshina Kannada district died on Saturday night. Sharath, is survived by his parents Somappa Gowda and Lalitha, and two sisters.
When he was 3 years old, Sharath could neither walk or talk, and later, it was diagnosed that he and his sister Bharathi were victims of endosulfan.
Shridhar Gowda, an endosulfan activist, told TNIE Bharathi is bed ridden while the elder sister is married. “Devoid of a proper road, the family members, who are poor, have to walk 1km to reach the main road,” he said.
Dr Naveen Chandra, surveillance officer for endosulfan, said that Sharath used to get Rs 4,000 per month as assistance from the government. “There was no other facility. Somappa was a coolie. Deaths among endosulfan victims are on the rise, but the government has no information. The government should provide a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the kin of the deceased endosulfan victim,” he urged.