Disabled constable gets compensation, finally

Ananthram met with an accident on Dec 6, 2002

After the fateful accident, which had paralysed him for life on December 6, 2002, he along with his wife had been seeking help from the government. After struggle for help from the government for the last nine years, the government has finally decided to consider the case of Ananthram and has decided to pay him monthly pension from April 2010 in its order dated January 10, 2011. It may be recalled that Deccan Herald had reported on the condition of Ananthram who is seeking help from the government in its column in October 2008.

Ananthram had joined the police department as constable on March 8, 1994. After the duty at Nellyadi on December 6, 2002, he along with his friends were heading towards Uppinangady police station when a lorry knocked the scooter which he was travelling, paralysing him for life. Owing to the accident, he had suffered damage to the spinal cord and backside of the head, thus crippling him from chest.

After the accident on December 6, 2002, he had availed EL till April 18, 2003. Later, he was given leave on medical ground from April 19, 2003 to November 30, 2004. If one takes, all these leaves into account, then his service in department will be 10 years. However, the doctor had issued a medical certificate saying the percentage of disability is 90 per cent and is unfit for work from the day of the accident itself.

This created problem in giving him the pension by the government as according to the medical report, he had not completed 10 years of service.

After his wife Shyamalatha made several appeals to the DGP through Superintendent of Police, on 9-10-2007, she had received a letter from DGP office which stated that Ananthram is not eligible for extraordinary pension and compensation under Karnataka Government Service Regulation 1980 Section 3. Since 2008, Ananthram’s case has been fought by Rani Abbakka Samaja Seva Kendra of Ullal.

In fact, Kendra President Leelavathi K had met the departmental heads several times urging the authorities to consider Ananthram’s case as extraordinary and make an arrangement for monthly pension. She says “though there is a belief that there is a need to bribe the officials to get the work done in the departmental level, contrary to the belief, we have not paid a single paise to get the work done in favour of Ananthram.”

In the meantime, the government had appointed his wife Shyamalatha as Junior Assistant on contract basis at Chief Minister’s office in October 2009.