Endosulfan victims' wait for care continues

Woes galore at makeshift care centre for disabled

A day care centre for the disabled, especially the endosulfan victims, which was opened in Kokkada town of Belthangady taluk almost a year ago, urgently needs a permanent building. But there is little hope it would materialise any time soon.

The people of Kokkada region, who had expected to have a full-fledged building to serve the needs of endosulfan victims, are disappointed with the government for not making any budgetary allocation for the construction of a new building for the day care centre.

The temporary day care centre was inaugurated by Minister for Energy Shobha Karandlaje on June 19, 2011, in response to the demand by endosulfan victims and the Endosulfan Virodhi Horata Samiti (EVHS). 

Taking care of the disabled in the area by providing them proper food and involving them in rehabilitation activities is among the objectives of the centre. 

At present, the centre functions from a 283-sq ft hall (Suvarna Bhavana) belonging to the Gram Panchayat. On an average, as many as 25 disabled people utilise the services of the centre every day. The number exceeds 35 on some days. The zinc sheet roof emanates unbearable heat inside the hall during summer.

Though a physiotherapist has been recruited by Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project (SKDRDP) - which is maintaining the centre - there is no separate space or room for the doctor to train the disabled. The treatment is given in an open space.

On the day of the inauguration, Karandlaje had said the centre would be shifted to a new building to be constructed on 10 cents of land belonging to the Gram Panchayat, adjacent to the Kokkada primary health centre. She had promised that the State government would extend necessary financial assistance for the construction, but nothing has been done so far. 

Since the day of the inauguration, the members of EVHS as well as the administrative body of SKDRDP have sent several memoranda and proposals to the government seeking funds for the construction of the new building. 

According to an estimate, the construction of the new building would require Rs 80 lakh. Centre co-ordinator Avinash A R told Deccan Herald that SKDRDP had prepared a comprehensive plan for the new building with necessary facilities and the proposal had been sent to the State government. In fact, a memorandum was submitted to Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda on March 3 during his visit to the taluk, seeking a budgetary allocation of Rs 1.5 crore for the building and for facilities. But the amount was not allocated in the budget, he said.

As per the proposal, the building will consist of a counselling room, consultation room, physiotherapy room, a 10-bed ward, treatment room, rest room with toilet, vehicle shed, vocational training centre, kitchen and dining hall.

EVHS president Sridhara Gowda Kengudelu said it was disappointing that no initiative had been taken to build a full-   fledged rehabilitation centre for endosulfan victims.
 “At present, the centre caters only for victims capable of moving around and who are reasonably healthy. Our demand is for a centre which also rehabilitates the worst-hit victims who have no one to look after them. We need a centre which functions round the clock,” he said.

Deputy Commissioner Dr N S Channappa Gowda said the district administration had sent the proposal for the construction of a new building to the State government, but had not received any response so far.