CSI demands ban on Endosulfan

Eco-leaders at the Church of South India have called on the government to support an international ban on a toxic insecticide which they say has caused deaths and widespread health problems in their region.

The CSI Synod Ecological Concerns Committee are lobbying environment chiefs to honour the global agreement negotiated under the Stockholm Convention in April 2011, to ban the highly toxic organic pollutant Endosulfan by mid 2012.

The controversial insecticide has already been axed by more than 80 countries worldwide because of its threats to human health and the environment. But despite the ban, Endosulfan is still used extensively in India, China, and some other countries.

Rev Viji Varghese Eapen, Director at the Department of Ecumenical Relations and Ecological Concerns at the CSI said it was up to the Government of India to ensure the health and safety of Indian society.

"This highly toxic off-patent organochlorine insecticide has left scores dead and forced several hundreds to live with chronic health problems in many parts of India," he said. "The use of this chemical has caused paralysis, intellectual and developmental delays, birth defects, early puberty in girls or delayed puberty in boys, cancer, and even death."

"The CSI joining with the National Council of Churches in India, feels that instead of rooting for research to be done on Endosulfan, it should be banned immediately," he added. "The CSI has assured her continuing participation in the campaign against Endosulfan, demanding for a nationwide ban."

Endosulfan has been used in agriculture around the world to control insect pests including whiteflys, aphids, leafhoppers, Colorado potato beetles and cabbage worms.

The World Health Organisation classifies it as Class II "Moderately Hazardous" but several studies - some particulalry concentrated in the Kerala region of India - have documented that exposure to Endosulfan can also severly affect human health and development.

With "Stewardship of Creation" as one of its key mission priorities, the CSI is calling on environment ministers not only to ban this particular chemical, but other highly toxic pesticides such as Carbonfurn Phorate, Methyl Parathion, Monocrotophons, Methyl Dmators, Profenophos and Triazohpos.

They also want to see aerial spraying of pesticides banned and for the Ministry of Agriculture to promote the use of eco-friendly pesticides and bio-products instead.

The campaign is part of a wider CSI drive to actively lobby and promote the protection of the natural environment in their communities.

Mr Eapen said: "At the recent CSI Mission Priorities Consultation, it was propsed that we as a Church should be involved in advocacy, against any effort to destroy nature. Therefore, our department along with the CSI Synod Ecological Concerns Committee has launched several programmes toward the fruitful and meaningful execution of this.

"We are planning to hold protest rallies and also to release statements and responses against exploitation and torturing of nature. The Church of South India is a church, committed to Ecology and in fact, our constitution upholds 'Stewardship of Creation' as one of our missions."

Along with the Endosulfan campaign, the whole of the CSI community will be celebrating 'Environment Sunday' on 5 June this year on the theme "Forest: Our Good Neighbour". The church is also planning an international conference on the same theme in October.