Chennai: The regional bench, armed forces tribunal, Chennai, has directed the Union government and Indian Army to hike the disability pension provided to a retired Army aviation pilot who developed health-related problems.

Disposing of a petition from retired Col Tummala Amarnath of Secunderabad, the bench, comprising judicial member, Justice V. Periya Karuppiah, and administrative member, Lt Gen K. Surendra Nath, said, “The petitioner is entitled to composite disability pension from the date of his retirement - September 1, 2009 - and arrears shall be paid within four months.”

In the petition, retired Col Amarnath submitted that he joined the Army in 1978, was appointed helicopter pilot in 1984 and flew for nearly a decade till March 1993 in different terrains, including Ladakh and Siachen glacier.

Due to the weather and stress, he developed a cardiac problem, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, severe disc prolapse and high BP and was operated in 2003. After serving for over 30 years, he retired. The release medical board, Secunderabad, opined on August 14, 2009 that the disc prolapse was aggravated by military service and assessed 20 per cent disability for life, but dismissed other claims. His appeals were dismissed by the authorities in 2010 and 2012.

The bench felt that he was entitled to composite disability pension for the three disabilities - diabetes, primary hypertension and disc prolapse for life – and, hence, its order entitling him to composite disability pension from the date of his retirement.