Pics: Spoorthi Ullal

Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (CLP)

Mangaluru, Apr 27: The endosulfan victims and various organizations held a protest in front of D C office, to condemn government harassment of endosulfan-affected people, on April 27 in the city.

Addressing the protestors, BJP leader Monappa Bhandary said "Endosulfan victims had been promised with various facilities by various goverments, but all of them failed to deliver. Because of this failure from the governments, endosulfan victims are facing major problems in day to day life. Many assesements were done several times but no concrete steps were taken. The former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa provided Rs 50,000 to 231 victims as compensation and monthly pension of Rs 1,000 was also provided to them. The present government of the state is not keen on providing help to the victims. If a decision is taken by any government, then the next government has to continue the same. It is the responsibilty for the government. The lethargic attitude of the state government is a cheating done to the endosulfan victims."

Addressing the protestors, president of Endosulfan Virodhi Horata Samiti Kokkada, Sridhar Gowda said," The state government and the health department are uttering only lies from the past two years. The high court had ordered the state government to provide monthly pension, proper medical check-up, medecine, one staff nurse for every rural area and bus pass etc for 7,500 endosulfan victims of the state. From last december 2014, we have not recieved the monthly pension from the health department, and even the court order also is not followed. The endosulfan victims travel on daily basis to check the bank account to see whether they have recieved any money."

"We recieved a call yesterday from the health department. They said they had released the monthly pension for three months and when than 400 people went to check the account, no one had recieved a rupee. Where did the money go ? Has it gone into the pockets of the health officers? It was an attempt to stop today's protest. The deputy commissioner calls for number of meetings but the promises are not fulfilled. The district-in-charge minister tells to contact health minister U T Khader directly. What is happening here? No one heeds to our concerns. If they are not listening to court order, why will they listen to blind, deaf or handicap victims?" he stressed.

"The government has money to launch various programmes, schemes etc. But they do not have money to provide compensation. We are not asking for luxuary living, or politicising the issue. We are asking for the rights we are entitled to. We need to live with basic needs for our survival. The borewells dug deep upto 250 feet even have contents of endosulfan and you just imagine how much an open well is affected. Only files are being transferred from table to table but till now no relief for the victims has been given." he concluded.

The endosulfan victims and various organizations submitted a memorandum to deputy commissioner.

Members of Congress, BJP, CPIM, AAP and like minded organizations were present at the protest.