Endosulfan victims will take their fight for healthcare and other facilities to court, said Sridhar Gowda, president, Endosulfan Virodhi Horata Samiti, a people’s committee fighting for the cause.
Addressing reporters here on Wednesday, Mr. Gowda said the Commissioner, Health and Family Welfare, Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH), had given in writing incorrect information by saying that victims had been identified and given smart cards, free medical treatment, staff nurses, palliative care and a mobile medial unit.
However, none of the facilities that were mentioned were implemented at the ground level. This was clear from information received through an application filed under the Right to Information (RTI), filed by Sanjeeva Kabaka, who asked what steps were taken to prevent the birth of children with deformity in Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada and Udupi because of endosulfan.
According to the information received through the RTI, in Dakshina Kannada, the victims were identified but the ambulance for them was not working.
A proposal would be sent for a mobile medical unit, it said. In Uttara Kannada, 1,505 victims were identified but no smart cards were issued and no palliative care was provided. In Udupi, 2,516 people were identified as physically challenged (but it was not mentioned whether the disabilities were because of endosulfan). Here, too, no smart cards and no palliative care were provided.
Mystery committees
He said decisions such as getting more medical mobile units had been left to a committee, which the Minister for Health and Family Welfare said should be set up. It was difficult to understand the purpose of setting up two committees (general and enforcement).
There were no details available about criteria for membership and the role of the committees.
He said there was no information about the scanning facilities for pregnant women victims to prevent birth of children with deformity.
Mr. Gowda criticised Principal Secretary Madan Gopal’s statement that there was no conclusive proof that the health of the people was affected because of endosulfan.
