Mangaluru: Celebrations and festivities bring in fun and frolic but when the essential services are thrown out of gear due to the celebrations, they can shape up tragedies. In a similar incident the special ward for rape victims and women victims of various atrocities at Lady Goschen went dysfunctional during Diwali, seeking attention of the district administration to ensure that at least there are a few persons on duty to respond to the immediate needs of victims, if any during festivities.
Two years ago, the unit was opened to provide medical, legal and psychological counselling to victims under one roof. The ward is supposed to have two doctors, nurses, social workers, one counselor and two lawyers deputed by the District Legal Services Authority and the ward is supposed to function 24×7.
However, during Diwali, the unit remained Kaput to the extent that there was no one to even received calls that were directed to the telephone line here.
Sources said that usually the ward will have one counselor and three social workers during the day time along with two women police constables. After 6.30 pm there will be one social worker to attend to the cases. But, on Monday it seemed as though all deputed at the Ward had taken leave to enjoy Diwali.
Deputy Director of women and children development department Sundar Poojary was contacted, he seemed perplexed.
“I had granted leave for only two,” he said adding that the staff had urged for leave, but he sanctioned leave only for two. He further said that he had informed Medical Superintendent of Lady Goschen about the same and asked her to act in case of emergency.
However, holding mirror to the sad state of affairs is the statement made by Medical Superintendent Savitha, who claimed that often the employees of the ward do not respond to calls.
The special ward for rape victims was opened following the gruesome Delhi Gangrape case. Taking note of the issue, the central government had issued directions to all states to set up such cells in the district hospitals for rape victims wherein they can be provided treatment, counselling and other assistance with privacy. But, if such an important cell goes dead during festivities, then the whole purpose of the unit falls flat.
