Outpatient services hit in K'taka due to IMA strike call
Bengaluru, Nov 8: Outpatient services were affected in Karnataka on Friday as hospitals and nursing homes went on a strike in response to a call by Indian Medical Association protesting the assault on a government eye hospital doctor.
Doctors of the government Minto Eye Hospital are on strike since Friday last protesting the alleged attack of a colleague by members of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, a pro- Kannada outfit.
People with minor health complications had to struggle to get medical assistance.
Junior doctors in government hospitals too joined the strike, burdening the seniors.
Speaking to PTI, Dr Dhanpal N, an office-bearer of IMA, claimed all IMA member hospitals and nursing homes voluntarily shut down their OPD services and only emergency cases were taken up.
"The Karnataka Rakshana Vedike has indicated that it has relented and its members have decided to surrender before the police but we don't want it to be a mere ritual or an eyewash. We want a proper assurance from the outfit and the administration," Dhanpal said.
Meanwhile, the KRV members who had allegedly attacked a doctor at the Minto Hospital, said they were contemplating surrendering to the police.
A KRV office-bearer said the surrender of those behind the attack should not be seen as defeat, adding they would continue to fight for the 22 cataract patients who allegedly lost their vision in the botched operation in July at the Minto Hospital.
The KRV members have been demanding justice and proper compensation to the victims of the botched cataract surgery.
A few people had lost their vision partially due to a drug reaction.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Delhi HC orders Rs 30 lakh compensation to kin of 3 deceased sanitation workers
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi High Court has directed the city authorities to pay Rs 30 lakh compensation each to the families of three sanitation workers who died during manual scavenging in 2017.
The HC allowed the petition by the family members seeking higher ex gratia in accordance with a Supreme Court order in 2023 which increased the compensation payable to the dependents of the victims who lost their lives in manual scavenging to Rs 30 lakh from the existing Rs 10 lakh.
The family members said in the petition that the three sanitation workers died in August 2017 while cleaning a drain in Lajpat Nagar. The plea said the deceased were engaged by a Delhi Jal Board sub-contractor.
The petitioners said that after they died, a compensation of Rs 10 lakh was awarded to the family members. However, they prayed that the amount be increased to Rs 30 lakh.
"It can be seen that the directions issued by the Supreme Court were expressly made applicable to all the statutory bodies including corporations, railways, cantonments as well as the agencies under its control.
"Moreover, the Union and State governments were directed to ensure that the rehabilitation measures were taken with respect to sewage workers, including the family of those who have lost their lives. Specifically, it was directed that the compensation of Rs 10 lakh that was given to the family members of the deceased workers be enhanced to Rs 30 lakh," Justice Sachin Datta said.
The high court said necessarily, the ameliorative directions, strictures and the embargo imposed by the Supreme Court are applicable to the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) as also to any agency that may be engaged by the board within any part of Delhi in connection with the work relating to the collection of sewage or carrying out connected works.
"Any disregard or violation thereto would invite strict consequences" as envisaged in the apex court verdict, it said.
Considering the reasoning given by the apex court, it would be a travesty if the entitlement of the family members of the deceased scavenging workers is confined to Rs 10 lakh, the high court said.
"The same would defeat the directions of the Supreme Court to enhance the compensation to Rs 30 lakh on the basis that the previously fixed compensation of Rs 10 lakh was fixed as far back as in the year 1993 and could not be considered to be an adequate compensation," it said, adding that the family members of the deceased sanitation workers are entitled to a compensation of Rs 30 lakh.
The high court said the remaining amount be paid to the family members within eight weeks.
Observing that manual scavengers have lived in bondage, systematically trapped in inhuman conditions for a long time, the Supreme Court had in October last year asked the Centre and state governments to completely eradicate manual scavenging across the country.
Passing a slew of directions for the benefit of people involved in manual scavenging, it had asked the central and state governments to pay Rs 30 lakh as compensation to the next of kin of those who die while cleaning sewers.
"The court hereby directs the Union and the States to ensure that the compensation for sewer deaths is increased (given that the previous amount fixed, that is, Rs 10 lakh) was made applicable from 1993. The current equivalent of that amount is Rs 30 lakh. This shall be the amount to be paid, by the concerned agency, that is, the Union, the Union Territory or the State as the case may be. In other words, compensation for sewer deaths shall be Rs 30 lakh," the Supreme Court had ordered.
It had also said that the authorities needed to take measures for the rehabilitation of the victims and their families.
