Thimmakka surviving on a Rs 500 pension, says son

BENGALURU: The state government has given Saalumarada Thimmakka’s name to its schemes, but little has been done to help the environmentalist in terms of her financial stability, rued her son Umesh.  He was speaking at the Saalumarada Thimmakka awards ceremony which was organised in association with the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board on Saturday.

Umesh said the centenarian is only receiving `500 as pension despite her contribution to society. “Thimmakka does not have a house of her own nor does she earn enough for a living. She only gets `500 as pension,” he said.

Even in the past, when Thimmakka was hospitalised, Umesh had to run from pillar to post hoping for donors to foot her medical bills. Later, Parliament member Rajiv Chandrashekar paid for her medical expenses. “The government pays crores to cricketers and artists. It is not a question of which party is in power. It is about how a person like her is treated.

I hope that a similar fate does not befall anyone else.”  He added that despite interventions and recommendations by Social Welfare Minister H Anjaneya, there was no improvement in their living condition.

Reacting to this, Anjaneya said he will ask KPCC chief G Parameshwara to ensure that land is allotted to her and that he will also speak to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in this regard. “Umesh wants land either in Magadi or Bengaluru only. If it was in Chitradurga, which is my constituency, I would have ensured that land is allotted by now,” he said.

“The Social Welfare Department will have to co-ordinate with the Revenue, Agriculture and Horticulture Departments and ensure that five acres of land is allotted where Thimmakka can also reside. Besides, a nursery will be set up on the same premises where free saplings will be distributed,” said Anjaneya.