Revenue Department Transfers Accident Survivor to Palakkad Ahead of 18th Surgery

Alappuzha: In what has been criticised as a cruel move, the Revenue Department has transferred an employee who narrowly survived a serious accident and is preparing to undergo her 18th surgery. Smitha Chandran, Special Village Officer at Pattanakkad Village, has been transferred from Cherthala to Palakkad. The transfer order directs her to report for duty on September 11.

The transfer comes as Smitha is preparing for her 18th surgery after suffering severe injuries in the accident. The Revenue Department’s order has also been issued despite the existence of compassionate provisions that allow employees with health problems to remain posted at their existing locations.

Her husband, PT Rajesh, is an official in the Local Fund Audit Department and the district president of a Congress-affiliated organisation. The couple has two school-going daughters. Rajesh has undergone a kidney transplant, which is also considered sufficient grounds under the rules to retain Smitha within the district. However, this too was allegedly not taken into consideration.

Smitha Chandran (43), a resident of Abhiramam in Maruthorvattom, Cherthala, met with the accident on March 11 while travelling on a scooter with her husband to attend a legislative Assembly election training class. A gas tanker lorry hit their scooter at Valavanad Junction.

The impact threw Smitha onto the road, after which she came under the tanker and its rear wheel ran over her body. Her arm was severed from the shoulder, while eight ribs were fractured and pierced her lungs. Seventeen surgeries have been performed over the past five months, including an attempt to reattach her severed right arm. Her next surgery is scheduled for August 31.

It was amid these circumstances that the order transferring her to Palakkad and directing her to report for duty was issued. Smitha and her family had informed the authorities about their difficult circumstances, but the pleas had no effect.

The family submitted an application to the Revenue Commissionerate along with medical documents stating that Smitha was unable to even get out of bed. They requested that she be retained within Cherthala taluk. The Alappuzha district collector had also submitted a report pointing out that the accident occurred while Smitha was engaged in election duty.

However, the office of the Land Revenue Commissioner did not respond.

Smitha received treatment at a private hospital in Ernakulam. Since the hospital was not included in the Medisep insurance network, she did not receive insurance coverage. Her family says it has spent around Rs 20 lakh on treatment so far.

Smitha is currently on six months’ disability leave. With another surgery scheduled, she is expected to require an extension of her leave for another six months. It is in these circumstances that the order directing her to report for duty on September 11 has arrived.