A total of 1,815 victims of endosulfan spraying, identified by the Dakshina Kannada district administration, will receive a stipend from the Karnataka government. The stipends will be given to the victims this week, said Deputy Commissioner A.B. Ibrahim. He was speaking at a function held to distribute eligibility certificates to victims to avail of stipend, in Manchi, Bantwal, on Thursday.
A cheque of Rs. 3,52,400 was handed over to the branch manager of SBI, who took it on behalf of the 176 victims in Bantwal. Those with more than 60 per cent disability will be given Rs. 3,000 per month and those with 40 per cent to 60 per cent disability will be given Rs. 2,000 per month.
Mr. Ibrahim said that officials have been directed to conduct a resurvey in areas where people have complained about identification of victims. People might have been excluded in earlier surveys, he said. Identifying victims of endosulfan and giving identity cards would go on. He said that it had been proposed to the government that families with endosulfan victims should be included in the Anna Bhagya Scheme. He said, “Free rations under the scheme will be given to families of victims in accordance to the direction of the government.”
Arun Kumar, Nodal Officer for Endosulfan, said that two more mobile clinics would be introduced to provide healthcare to bed-ridden victims.
He said, “We have four mobile health units to help victims in the district and two more will be added soon.”
While there are two existing day care centres at Kokkada and Koila, four more will be set up at Vittla, Moodbidri, Kaniyoor and Moodbidri.
He said that at present, a total of 2,189 endosulfan victims in the district have been issued identity cards, including from Puttur (993), Belthangady (802), Bantwal (176), Sullia (131) and Mangalore (20).
Peer Mohamed, member, Endosulfan Virodhi Horata Samithi, said that many victims have not yet been included several villages in the district and that a re-survey should be conducted. He said, “A permanent healthcare centre should be set up which will help victims.”
