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Letters to the Editor
Bitter experience
Sir, — Brig (retd.) N.B. Grant echoed the sentiments of all retired Service Officers, (Jan. 19), when he said that the Government hardly cares for the medical cover of retired service officers. After having served the armed forces for 37 years, my experience was only bitter.
I developed prostate complaints and when it became acute I approached the medical authorities who advised me, being a cardiac patient, that I should not undergo the normal operative treatment, but go for advanced laser treatment.
As the latter mode of treatment was not available in the local military hospital and the Government Medical College, I was treated at a renowned private city hospital at a cost of around Rs. 30,000. I forwarded the bills to the Vice-Chief of Army Staff, requesting refund from various funds at his disposal. His office advised me to seek refund from the Kendriya Rajya Sainik Board, which rejected my claim.
It referred the claim to the DSSAL Board, which acted on it more or less on the lines of Kendriya Sainik Board. I took the matter to the then Defence Minister, George Fernandes, whose office did not even bother to acknowledge.
To make matters worse, they again transferred the case to the Kendriya Rajya Sainik Board.
I represented the case to the President, whose office too failed to acknowledge.
When Jaswant Singh took over as the Defence Minister, being an ex-Army Officer, I thought he will be considerate. Here again I was mistaken. His office too did not acknowledge my representation.
That is how the matter stands now.
Capt (retd.) O. Mathai,
Thiruvananthapuram
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