Rehab centre sought for endosulfan victims

Endosulfan Horata Samiti members and president of the Endosulfan Victims Multipurpose Cooperative Society have urged the authorities concerned to start a permanent rehabilitation centre for endosulfan victims.

“Five acres of land have already been earmarked at Alankar for the setting up of a permanent rehabilitation centre. If given support and encouragement, the Cooperative Society will help in maintenance of the centre,” said Society president Ganga Rathna Vasanth.

She was speaking at the general body meeting of the committee for the rehabilitation of endosulfan victims, chaired by the District In-charge Minister B Ramanath Rai on Saturday.

She also appealed to the committee to provide a room in the sericulture department building at Koila for the functioning of the Society on a temporary basis. “The Society also requires share capital from the government to function. It has 176 members and was registered following the directions of Deputy Commissioner A B Ibrahim and former ZP Chief Executive Officer Tulasi Maddineni,” he explained.

Endosulfan Virodhi Horata Samiti President Peer Mohammad said that the permanent rehabilitation centre is necessary to take care of the victims especially in case of the death of their parents. Bed-ridden endosulfan victims also do not get any benefit from the day care centre, he complained.

The district in-charge minister directed the deputy commissioner to take a decision on the demand for space to open office for the society.

Mobile medical unit

Dr Arun Kumar, the nodal officer for endosulfan rehabilitation, said that a proposal for the setting up of a permanent rehabilitation centre has been submitted to the government on October 18, 2014. “A proposal for a mobile medical unit has also been submitted to the government. Once the district gets five mobile medical units, it will solve the problem of treating the bed-ridden endosulfan victims,” he added.

When the Endosulfan Virodhi Horata Samiti members complained that the victims had failed to get monthly pension for the last two months, Dr Arun Kumar said that the Department of Social Security and Pension had released the pension amount for the month of July on Friday.

“The pension for 252 victims is pending, owing to technical problems, which will be sorted out shortly. Of the 3,618 victims, 201 victims are bed-ridden. The Department is finding it difficult to treat such victims in Belthangady, owing to shortage of doctors. Three patients have died in the month of August,” he explained.

The officer admitted that there had been delay in release of pension amount and said that the authorities concerned will be urged to ensure that the amount is released on time.

The committee also gave a nod to conduct special camps for endosulfan victims at the primary health centre at Shirthadi, instead of the community health centre at Moodbidri.
DHO Dr Ramakrishna said that the endosulfan victims are provided cashless treatment at the super-speciality hospitals in the district. A total of 58 victims have availed of the benefit so far. “The KSRTC has issued bus pass for the endosulfan victims and the caretaker of the victims to go to hospitals for treatment. The bus pass has been issued to 1,279 victims so far,” the DHO stated.