Health and Family Welfare Minister U.T. Khader said on Friday that the State government would chalk out a broad relief and rehabilitation programme for endosulfan victims after completing survey of the affected persons in all three coastal districts.
Speaking to presspersons before inaugurating various facilities at the District Government Hospital here, Mr. Khader said that the survey of those affected by endosulfan had been completed in Dakshina Kannada district, while the survey was on in Udupi and Uttara Kannada.
“We have made two committees for this purpose in each of the three districts – Executive Committee headed by District In-charge Minister and Implementation Committee headed by the Deputy Commissioner. The aim was to solve the problems of the endosulfan patients at the district-level,” he said.
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The State government had provided a Rs. 20-crore package for relief of the persons affected by endosulfan. Both these committees have been entrusted with the responsibility of implementing the package. “If any affected person had any problem, he could approach these Committees. These Committees would hold review meeting once in three months.”
There were three categories of persons affected by endosulfan – fully affected, who were bedridden, partly affected and slightly affected – who could come for treatment. These three categories of persons would be given three different types of identity cards with different colours.
The monthly pension for the fully affected had been increased to Rs. 3,000, while partly affected persons would get Rs. 2,000. Those who were unable to come to the hospitals or Primary Health Centres would be given treatment by doctors in a mobile unit.
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As many as six skill development centres would be established where the affected persons would be taught to make incense sticks and other vocations to eke out their livelihood. The government would have collaboration with private hospitals at Sullia and Ujire in order to provide special healthcare for the endosulfan victims. Ultrasound facility for the victims was being provided at a private hospital in Mangalore, Mr. Khader said.
NGOs could work in the endosulfan affected areas but would have to take permission of the Deputy Commissioner and District Health and Family Welfare Officer. The Department was planning to construct a permanent rehabilitation centre for endosulfan victims in four acres of land at Koyla in Dakshina Kannada district. All these measures were decided before the High Court’s interim order (on January 27), Mr. Khader said.