Mangaluru: They are visually impaired as a result of government’s aerial spray of Endosulfan. Four in a single family!
What is worse is that the government granted stipend of Rs: 3000 is not forthcoming since January. They have become victims of the apathy of the Health and Family Welfare and Revenue Departments unable to feed themselves. They can do nothing but depend upon the goodwill of fellow citizens for their daily meals.
At a review meeting on Endosulfan on March 19, Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kannada, Ibrahim, who almost a month ago to this day, had directed, “Nodal officer, Arun Kumar must sit at Health Department in Bengaluru until the funds released”, now appears to be unable or unwilling to resolve the problem of the unpaid stipend. He had told Newskarnataka.com, on many occasions recently, that the stipends would be distributed within a week, but the ground reality is different.
65% of BPL endo victims in penury
The total number of endo-victims is estimated to be 3112. The plight of 65% of Below Poverty Level card holders (endo-victims) is dismal. They have been pushed into penury by the state government and district administration’s handling of their plight especially when it came to distribution of facilities including stipends.
Poor response of the Government
The Health and Family Welfare Minister U T Khader remained elusive to this reporter despite several attempts to reach him and elicit a response.
The responses did not get any better in the upper echelons of the bureaucracy. The Principal Secretary to the Health and Family Welfare Department, Atul Kumar Tiwari, when contacted, said. “The file has been pending in the Revenue Department and he was not responsible for stipends not reaching hands of victims”
He however assured this reporter, that he would look into the matter on priority. “There were some technical problems and that have held up the distribution of the stipends. I will immediately correspond with the Principal Secretary of the Revenue Department, Basavaraj to end the impasse”.
Despite this assurance, an endo-activist from Endo Virodhi Horata Samiti was not convinced “We are fed up of explanations given by the bureaucrats. Do they want to play with the emotions of victims?”, he questioned.
‘Release the stipend’ online campaign
Now, the unresponsive administration, despite public and media glare, has motivated the National Environment Care Federation (NECF) to request Newskarnataka.com to publish the phone numbers of all the stakeholders involved in the matter, so that concerned citizens may call and text the concerned officials, to seek a response and compel them to act. “It is the duty of the elected representatives and officials to answer the public,” said Shashidhar Shetty, Secretary of NECF.
Accordingly the phone numbers of these public officials are published and readers are encouraged to call and remind the officials of the plight of the victims and the need for urgent action.
Health and Family Welfare Minister – 9448383919; Deputy Commissioner – 9449225000; District Health Officer – 9449843050; Member of Parliament -9448549445; District-in-charge-Minister -9448468579; Principal Secretary of Health Department – 9449843001; Principal Secretary Revenue Department -9449077833
