Mangalore (TNN): In a bid to clear the air over the process of identifying endosulfan victims, district health officer Dr HS Shivakumar said on Monday that the process is still on. A team of medical experts are present at District Wenlock Hospital every Monday and Tuesday to check people who are suspected to have been affected by the spraying of endosulfan in Dakshnina Kannada district.
The department of health and family welfare is constantly updating the high court on the steps taken in this regard. Vaishali Hegde, amicus curiae appointed by the HC in the case too is vetting the reports submitted by the government to the court, Shivakumar said in a release.
The DHO's clarification comes in the wake of protests by endosulfan victims following some alleged discrepancies in the treatment regime and some media reports that the identification process had come to naught.
A detailed survey was carried out in all taluks in the district and experts conducted special camps in selected places in 2012 and indentified 2,200 as those affected by spraying of endosulfan. A separate camp was held in 2014 to identify left out affected persons at Vittla in Bantwal, Kokkada, Padangadi, and Kaniyuru in Sullia, Bellare in Sullia, and Uppinangady, Koila, Puttur, and Nelyadi in Puttur. The camp identified an additional 796 victims.
Based on a government order dated July 1, 2013, a general committee headed by district in-charge minister and an executive committee headed by deputy commissioner has been set up and identity cards have been issued to 2,996 affected victims. Medical officers attached to primary health centres and mobile units are treating bed-ridden patients in their respective residences. Day care centres have been set up in Alankar and Kokkada, he said.
Noting that the severely affected are making use of these centres in Puttur and Belthangady taluks respectively, Dr Shivakumar said proposals have been sent to start similar centres at Ujire in Belthangady taluk, Bellare in Sullia taluk, and Panaje in Puttur taluk respectively. Five-acres of land has been set aside in Alankar in Puttur taluk to establish a permanent rehabilitation centre for endosulfan victims, Dr Shivakumar added.
Special medical check-up camps are arranged with help from experts from private medical colleges in areas under seven primary health centres where number of endosulfan-affected people is the highest. Women junior health assistants too are keeping tabs on the health conditions of victims in the sub-centres under each primary health care centre. Mobile units are reaching out to bed-ridden victims in Bantwal, Sullia and Belthangady taluks.
The process of providing free ration to victims is on and correspondence has been carried out with the deputy director, department of food and civil supplies. Victims are being treated at the nearest PHCs and the medical officers concerned are referring them to nearest medical college hospital for advanced treatment. A MoU has been signed with six medical colleges and one private super-specialty hospital to treat endosulfan victims, he noted.
Based on HC directions, stipend of Rs 1,500 per month is being paid to victims of endosulfan with assessed disability of 25%-60%, and Rs 3,000 to those with disability of more than 60% from March 1, 2014. This amount is being directly credited to the accounts of the victims through RTGS in the first week of every month.
