A case raising serious questions on the functioning of the District Health Department has come to light. A 64-year-old woman from village Sai Brahmana of Panchayat Kachauli of Sadar tehsil has been declared dead in the government records, due to which the Sahara pension received by her has also been stopped.
The victim’s family is shocked by this incident and is forced to make rounds of the department.
Baldev Raj, husband of the victim woman Sheela Devi, said that his wife Sheela Devi is suffering from a serious illness. Due to blockage of the nerve in her brain, she can neither speak nor sit up. He was first treated at IGMC Shimla, PGI Chandigarh and currently at AIIMS and is currently at home. According to Baldev Raj, Sheela Devi was getting Sahara pension which suddenly stopped. Last December, when Sheela Devi’s e-KYC process could not be completed, she was advised to go to Lokmitra Kendra. After not getting success even at Lokmitra Kendra, when he reached CMO office, the information received from there shocked him. As per the records, Sheela Devi had been declared dead about 6 months ago.
Baldev Raj told that as soon as he received this information, he had submitted a written application to the department in the month of February itself, but even after months, there has been no solution to the problem. On one hand, his wife is undergoing expensive treatment and on the other hand, the carelessness of the department has made his financial situation more difficult.
When CMO Dr. Shashi Dutt Sharma was discussed on this matter, he termed it as a technical flaw. He said that a letter has been written to higher officials to solve the problem. The CMO clarified that Sheela Devi’s previous medical was temporary, hence she will now have to appear before the medical board again and get a permanent medical certificate made. Only after this you will have to apply again for Sahara Pension.