Bangalore: Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa on Wednesday told the Legislative Assembly that he would appeal to the Union Government to ban spraying endosulfan on cashew plantations using helicopters.“At the next meeting of Chief Ministers, I will convince Prime Minister Manmohan Singh about the need to ban endosulfan-based pesticides.”

Pesticides claimed 37 lives in Puttur, Belthangady taluks of Dakshina Kannada district and Karkala taluk in Udupi district.A total of 137 persons, who have been suffering from diseases caused by the pesticide in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, would get a compensation of Rs. 50,000 each. Those who have been rendered physically disabled would be paid a pension of Rs. 1,000, he said, while intervening during the reply to a call attention notice given by former Minister Shobha Karandlaje (BJP), who recently visited the areas.