ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY AND DAMAGES: ROLE OF MULTINATIONALS IN INDIAN ECONOMY

Although classified as a yellow label (highly toxic) pesticide by the Central Insecticides Board, India is one of the largest producers and the largest consumer of Endosulfan in the world. Of the total volume manufactured in India, three companies ? Excel Crop Care, Hindustan Insecticides Ltd, and Coromandal Fertilizers ? produce 4,500 tonnes annually for domestic use and another 4,000 tonnes for export. Endosulfan is widely used in most of the plantation crops in India. Toxicity of endosulfan and health issues due to its bioaccumulation came under media attention when health isuues precipitated in the Kasargod District (of Kerala) was publicised.This inspired protests, and the pesticide was banned in Kerala as early as 2001 following a report by the National Institute of Occupational Health. The present paper tries to evaluate the effects of Endosulfan on environment and humans and the genesis of problems caused in Kasargod District Of Kerala.