Shreyas H S
Daijiworld Media Network - Beltangady
Beltangady, Jun 4: Despite the district health and family welfare department (HFWD), in a reply to RTI query, stating that the endosulfan victims (mentioned in the reply) had been given identity cards, a few of the victims of Beltangady taluk said that they had not received ID cards.
The endo-victim ID card is required for obtaining monthly pensions, cashless treatment in hospitals, and day care centers located in the district. The High Court of Karnataka directed the district administration to speed up the process of distribution of ID cards and finish it by March 1. Stating elections as a reason for the delay, the HFWD promised to provide the cards at a self-stipulated time of one month from March 6.
There is concrete evidence that the HFWD has misled the public. A few named in the list, have not got the cards till now. The department has failed to answer the question (in RTI) pertaining to the list of victims who have not yet received the cards. Also, the district administration has not yet linked the private hospitals for free treatment of victims.
According to Shridhar Gowda, activist from Endo Virodhi Horata Samiti, Kokkada, the district administration in the months since February had only managed to cover 60 percent of the victims. They had earlier said that before the end of March, cards will be issued to all the victims. Due to the apathy of the district administration, this process is going at a snail’s pace.
The district administration contends that they have issued the cards to all, but approximately 40 percent of the victims are still waiting for the cards. Around 2,189 victims in the district are entitled to own the endo-victim-card.
Alongside the HFWD giving false information to the public, the apathy in completing the ID card distribution programme by the district administration has led the victims to perceive that they have been deprived of their rights.
As per the information sought in the RTI to know the identities of the victims granted with ID cards from HFWD, it is learnt that around 2,000 victims were credited with the cards. However, as to the query on the pending list, the department remained silent without answering the question in the RTI. When Daijiworld contacted the victims, it was understood that in ground reality, quite a few victims whose names were included in the list of beneficiaries, have not received the cards till date.
Santosh, Ashwata Katte Mane, resident of Kokkada, who has 100 percent disability, is one of the victims who has not received the card. According to the RTI details, his name was included in the list. “I took my bed-ridden son Santhosh to the village panchayat to take the photo to get the card. It is surprising that my son has not received the card,” said Gracy Menazes, mother of the 21-year-old endo-victim. He is currently not entitled to avail the benefits earmarked for the endo-victim-card holders.
Four kids who are visually impaired due to endosulfan have encountered a similar problem. The four hail from the same family residing in Dharmastala. The names of these victims were mentioned in the RTI reply while the family is still yearning for the card to avail the benefits. Tungamma, Monamma, Dinesh, and Gangayya are the victims. “I have no money for the medication of my children,” said Prameela, mother of the four. According to Prameela, she carried her children to the village panchayat to take the photos. The four are waiting for the card hoping that free treatment enabled through the card could bring light to their lives.
When contacted, deputy commissioner A B Ibrahim, on learning that cards were not properly distributed and that there were discrepancies in the RTI reply, said he would look into the matter. “The talks with hospitals for free government treatment to the victims are underway. The benefits given to the victims are in the pipeline and will soon be implemented,” he added.
While the district health and family welfare officer H S Shivakumar expressed shock over the unexpected revelation, health and family welfare minister U T Khader said a review meeting would be convened to check the status of the card distribution.
Khader said that in a review meeting, a reality check on the distribution of cards will be done. “If any cases of cards not reaching the entitled are found, swift action will be taken,” he added. He also said that regarding the mistakes in RTI, action would be taken legally provided a complaint is filed in this regard.
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