HUBLI: Minister for Women and Child Development H.K. Kumaraswamy has said that action will be taken within a week against errant officials and employees for the ill-treatment meted out to disabled boys and girls at two hostels in the twin cities, within a week.

Addressing presspersons here on Monday, Mr. Kumaraswamy said that he had come to Hubli-Dharwad with the intention of having first-hand information on the issue, which was reported in many dailies.

The Minister said he visited the Home for Mentally Challenged Girls and Women at Unakal in Hubli, run by the State Government and also the hostel for the visually impaired and hearing impaired in Dharwad, run by Honnamma Shikshana Samsthe with funds released by the Union Government.

The Minister said during his visit to the home for the mentally challenged, he sensed that it was cleaned just before his arrival. The Minister said he interacted with the people there and found that there was shortage of staff.

"I have asked the Deputy Commissioner to submit a report on the complaints about ill-treatment of the girls and boys in both the hostels. The Deputy Director of the Women and Child Development Department also visited the places. Based on the reports of the officials, I will take action within a week," he said.

Mr. Kumaraswamy said the chairman of the Honnamma Shikshana Samsthe denied that the boys were ill-treated. He alleged that some vested interests had instigated the boys to complain to the Deputy Commissioner, he said.

The Minister said that if reports of the Deputy Commissioner indicated irregularities, the State Government would write to the Union Government to stop the financial assistance.

Mr. Kumaraswamy said he visited another hostel run with funds from the Union Government and noticed irregularities in the number of children admitted and those actually present. There was also no proper accommodation for the people there. Regarding complaints filed against a few presspersons by the superintendent of the home for the mentally challenged girls and women at Unakal, the Minister said directions would be given for withdrawing the complaint immediately.

The superintendent had filed complaint against three presspersons when they had gone to report the pitiable condition of the people in the hostel.

Amendment

Mr. Kumaraswamy said the State Government was planning to bring in an amendment to enable stringent action against those indulging in immoral trafficking and also those abetting it

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