Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (HB)
Udupi, Dec 2: The general public is struggling to get ESI benefits, the ESIC authority of India has not settled the dues of private hospitals. Therefore, the MASS India NGO (All India) unit will stage a hunger strike in front of the DC office on Tuesday, December 8 announced national vice-president of MASS India NGO G A Koteyar.
He was speaking at the press club in the city on Wednesday, December 2. ''There were 37 political leaders from Karnataka who claimed medical benefits from the government between April 4, 2019, to March 31, 2020, even though they do not belong to disadvantaged groups. This includes Moodbidri MLA Umanath Kotian, J C Madhu Swamy, K Madal Virupakshappa, Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, Narayana Gowda, B Sriramulu, Tanveer Sait, S Kumar Bangarappa, Kumaraswamy and many other political leaders. These leaders enjoy all the benefits provided by the government, but the poor have to fight to receive the ESI health benefits."
"Udupi has only two ESI benefit hospitals KMC and Adarsh hospital. The former has stopped medical treatment to ESI contributors and their beneficiaries from November 1 because ESIC authority did not settle their dues for the past several months," he added.
"MASS India NGO president had brought this issue to the notice of several concerned departments. He had also sent a letter to the Prime Minister, labour minister of India, director of ESIC Delhi, regional director of ESIC Bengaluru, director of ESIS (Medical Services Karnataka)," Koteyar said.
The MP and DC of Udupi on November 5 said that those letters have been acknowledged by the concerned departments, however, our government did not take any action on the matter, he said.
"On the day of the hunger strike, we will declare 'sampoorna kranthi' and until ESIC authority settles the dues of the hospital we will not call off the strike," he warned.
"The primary and urgent requirement is for ESIC to settle the dues of KMC Hospital, Manipal. ESI treatment must be restarted for the beneficiaries at KMC hospital, Manipal and the ESI facilities must be extended up to Rs 30,000 for salaried employees. Further all dispensaries must have doctors and nurses who will be available for all," he stressed.
There is a year-old demand that Udupi should have an ESI hospital, however, the demand has fallen on deaf ears. Let the concerned department settle dues, which will help the underprivileged, Koteyar said.
Praveen Kumar ESI contributor, welfare executive member of MASS India Stephan Rajesh Periera, Brahmavar taluk president Praveen Nelson Shirva were present at the press meet.