Mangaluru: Endosulfan victims to protest government indifference

Mangaluru: Endosulfan victims to protest government indifference

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Apr 17, 2015:  Endosulfan victims under the aegis of Endo Virodhi Horata Samiti will  protest on April 27 against the alleged inaction of the State government in fulfilling their demands — Mainly payment of stipend and free bus pass facility.

 

Talking to media on April 16, Thursday, the samiti’s convenor and Endosulfan victim Sridhar Gowda said the State government has kept the payment of stipend of Rs. 1,800 of the Rs. 3,000 per month pending for last four months of as many as 2,602 of the 3, 295 victims eligible for monthly stipend. Of the amount, Rs. 1,200 was being paid by the Revenue Department while the remaining Rs. 1,800 was being paid by the Health Department.  He also said  he  does not know why the Health Department  has  stopped paying.  Gowda expressed dismay over the way KSRTC was issuing free bus passes that enables the victim and a person accompanying him to have a free ride in the bus for treatment.

Further, Gowda said the KSRTC was not accepting smart cards issued by the government as a proof that they are Endosulfan victims. Instead, the victims are being asked to produce a medical certificate from the nearby Primary Health Centre. There were nearly 300 victims who are being denied  free bus passes because of absence of smart cards, which the State government has stopped issuing since March 31.

The KSRTC was denying passes to parents of around 200 odd victims who are bedridden, he added.Gowda said the mobile treatment facility proposed for bed-ridden victims was yet to take off.  The State government for long  has been in the stage of calling tenders from firms providing vehicles for this purpose, he said.  Gowda said he and other victims will carry out a protest before the office of the DK DC  in Mangaluru. Victims will be writing letters to High Court judges pointing out the unfulfilled promises of the State government and the problems they were facing.  Indeed the plight of this unfortunate group is pathetic to say the least.