Work on Endosulfan tragedy statue to resume?

KASARGOD: The work on ‘Oru Kutti Janikunnu’, a statue on endosulfan tragedy, which was stalled for the past two years owing to fund shortage may resume soon. Sculptor Kanayi Kunhiraman started work on the statue in early 2010 at the district panchayat premises here.The work was stopped temporarily following fund shortage. Though Kanayi wanted to resume the work in March last year, he could not do so due to the unavailability of water. Later, Kanayi wrote to officials asking for six months before resuming the work.Following which the panchayat had allowed three months time in August 2011. But the statue was left in the lurch without any further proceedings.Earlier, only Rs 2.5 lakh was made available to construct the statue but now the panchayat president has assured that there is no fund shortage.“An amount of Rs 10 lakh has been allotted for art and culture by the panchayat in the present budget, which can be utilised for the purpose. The panchayat is ready with the funds but Kanayi is unavailable as he is busy with the ‘Aksharashilpam Project’ in Kottayam,” said district panchayat president P P Shyamala.However, she expressed concern over further delay, since the panchayat will have to wait till monsoon to overcome  water scarcity.The statue depicts a mother giving birth to a newborn on a platform surrounded cashew plants to represent the Plantation Corporation’s spraying of the pesticide, which had caused birth defects and chronic diseases in children.The statue ‘Oru Kutti Janikunnu’ depicts a helpless mother looking up into the sky, representing a victimised family, while two starving kids cry beside her.