INDIA: Police initiate eye camp for 'below-poverty-line' elderly

RAIGANJ, West Bengal (The Statesman, Kolkata), March 18, 2008: North Dinajpur police in collaboration with Kaliyaganj Lions’ club and the Indian Medical Association of Raiganj has initiated a move to conduct a massive eye treatment camp for the aged residents below the poverty line in their area. The camp will have the facilities to operate on the cataract of these aged persons and spectacles will also be distributed free of cost to these people below poverty line. A committee named “Chokher alo” has been formed and Mr Dilip Talukder IC Kaliyaganj police station has been made the convenor of the committee. Villagers are informed about the eye treatment camp. "Recently we came to know that a good number of aged people in Kaliyagang suffer from eye diseases, including cataract," said police superintendent Mr. S.B. Purnapatra. "Many have even lost eyesight. These people are unable to bear the medical expenses for treatment of the diseases. Therefore, we formed a social welfare organisation “chokher alo” and decided to treat these people free of cost. We have collected funds from the residents of Kaliyaganj." Both Kaliyaganj Lions’ club and IMA Raiganj unit have been included in this committee. Gram panchayat members (village committee members), health assistants and anganwadi workers have been involved in the process of preparing eye treatment cards for these people below poverty line. “Such treatment cards have been distributed among 7,000 aged residents of 197 villages in Kaliyaganj. Their eye-screening and cataract surgery will be held end March - beginning April. Reading glasses will be distributed to them later. He noted that through this massive eye camp the police wishes to show they are society-friendly. This work will also inculcate a good spirit in the police force,” added Mr Purnapatra. Statesman News Service