Shreyas H S
Daijiworld Media Network-Kundapur

Kundapur, Aug 21: The volunteers affiliated to Human Rights Protection Foundation (HRPF) headed by Dr Ravindranath Shanbhag in its reality-check-campagin discovered that the Health and Family Welfare Department (HFWD) of Udupi made false claims over the 'monthly pension' given to the endosulfan victims and other 'criteria components' living in Kundapur Taluk to the High Court of Karnataka.

The foundation, for a period of five days (August 5- August 10) visited as many as 27 villages of Kundapur to cross check ground reality and statements put on paper in the affidavit filed by the HFWD to the HC. The foundation unearthed the reality that the department has failed to comply on directions of the HC about the percentage criteria for the victims to seek monthly pensions even as 300 victims expressed they have not received monthly pensions since February 2014.

The foundation identified that, despite the HC shot, a clear direction to the government that those victims bearing 25%-60% disablity should be paid Rs 1,500 and 60%-100% given Rs 3,000, citing the confusion on 60% that appear common in both percentage criteria the department on its discretion issued the 1500 stipend for 60% disability.

The foundation alleged that the department deliberately pushed many victims falling slighly above 60% disablity to 60% to slash the expenses. However, the foundation in the affidavit filed to the HC on the status report the District Health Officer (DHO) of Mangalore stated in writing that those tested with 60% disablity were benefited with Rs 3,000 monthly pension. The foundation claimed that the HFWD of Udupi breached the direction passed by the HC failing to understand the orders.

The volunteers also detected that many endo-victims had yet not received ID cards to avail the benefits of free treatment offered by the KMC hospital. The hospital is offering free treatment after HFWD and KMC signed a Memorandum of Understanding.

It is surprising that though the DHO of the Udupi district in a meeting has asked to credit the balance pension amount and six months advance payment to the victims before the representative of the HC, amicus curie Vaishali Hegde, failed to keep up the promise. The reality check campaign learned that as many as 300 victims had not received monthly pensions since February this year.

While listing the victims, the department has left out those born before the forest department sprayed endosulfan. However there were many victims whom the foundation met, effected by endosulfan, born during pre-endosulfan days. The foundation said that irrespective of this factor there are possibilities that endosulfan would leave a trail of adversity on the individual.

The finding suggested that victims were eliminated during medical tests on the basis of non-sprayed villages. Many victims lamented that they were not listed, department posing non-sprayed village criteria which according to the foundation is false as movement of ground water inflicted the other villages lying near by the endo-sprayed localities.