Karnataka - Mysore   

Women helpless as officials pass the buck

MYSORE: It would seem like the Chamarajanagar district administration has not taken cognisance of the issue of exploitation of mentally challenged women in the district. No serious attempts are being made by the district administration to open a District Rehabilitation Centre (DRC) to help them.

The district administration has simply passed the buck to District Health Officer (DHO) Mahadev by directing him to take necessary action.

The DHO has, in turn, directed District Mental Health Programme Officer Prabhuswamy to take immediate steps to address the issue.

As for Mr. Prabhuswamy, he has requested the police to locate the mentally challenged women and send them either to the Karuna Charitable Trust in Cowdalli village of Kollegal taluk or to the DRC in Mysore.

Speaking to The Hindu, the Mental Health Programme Officer said he had issued a notice appealing to the public to inform the nearest police station in case they find any such unfortunate women.

‘No role to play'

Meanwhile, the Social Welfare Department too has not addressed the issue. District Social Welfare Officer Prathiba asserted that the department had no role to play. Its duty was to identify the destitute and send them to DRC in Mysore, she said.

Abandoned

The authorities concerned have made no attempt to open the DRC even 13 years after the formation of the district.

In the absence of a centre, it has been reported that mentally challenged individuals were abandoned by their relatives in trains to Chamarajanagar. These hapless people get off the train in the town, which is the last stop on many routes, and take shelter on the Chamarajeswari temple premises, in public parks, bus-stands, market places and government buildings under construction. There have been allegations that some of the mentally challenged women are being sexually exploited.

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