Pension amount meagre, say acid attack victims

Deepkamal Kaur

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, June 20

An announcement of the state government to offer a monthly pension of Rs 8,000 to acid attack victims has not brought any smile on their faces. Victims allege that they have so far not even got Rs 3 lakh aid as ordered by the Supreme Court for all acid attack cases, so they were not even sure about the new announcement coming as any relief to them.

Nearly four years since she was attacked while on way back from gurdwara in the morning, Jatinder Kaur of Waryam Nagar, says, “The government has failed to provide me any monetary aid ever since I was attacked. My family has spent such a huge amount on my treatment since the incident.” She had suffered burns on the left side of her face, arm, head with her ear and eyes too getting affected. “How can I feel relieved by Rs 8,000 a month when even the police have failed to nab the accused in the case so far? The motorcycle borne youth who had thrown acid on me were masked and the police have failed to crack the case,” said the 53-year-old woman.

Government school teacher Neeta (30) who too had suffered acid attack in July 2014, is not much appeased. “Being an educator for the disabled children at government school in Sheikhupur, I am drawing just Rs 4,500. Having lost my dad, I am the only bread earner for a family of two including my mother. Despite minimal resources, I have spent a huge amount on my surgery. k