Give priority to education and healthcare, says Lokayukta

Give priority to education and healthcare, says Lokayukta

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Feb 24, 2017:Lokayukta P. Vishwanatha Shetty said on Thursday that officers should give priority to providing education and healthcare services to the people in the district. He was addressing a district-level government officers meeting at the Deputy Commissioner’s office here.

Mr. Shetty said there should be no complaints from the people with regard to education and health from the people. If the officers worked honestly, there would be positive response from the people and this would automatically reduce the complaints to the Lokayukta. It was the responsibility of the officers to see that no child was bereft of education under the Right to Education Act, he said.

Diwakar Shetty, Deputy Director of Public Instruction, said efforts were being made to see that the girl children from Koraga community do not stop coming to the schools midway under the Prerana programme. A ‘Makkala Mane’ too had been constructed at Kumbhashi village to attract the children from the Koraga community to schools, he said.

Mr. Shetty said the public health system should function in a smooth manner. There were examples of poor people being financially ruined after taking treatment in private sector.

‘No anonymous plaints’

There should be no scope for any anonymous complaints to the Lokayukta with regard to government healthcare services. There should no corruption in hospitals. Caesarean section had now become a big business. Priority should be given to maternal and childcare, he said.

“It is not just corruption; not providing services within stipulated time too comes under the purview of the Lokayuta. Welfare programmes meant for people should reach them,” he said.

He said sand extraction is a problem affecting Udupi and if not done as per the prescribed norms, it could destroy environment. “Environmental protection is everyone’s responsibility and those violating it will get punished as per law,” he said.

Mr. Shetty also directed the Commissioner of Udupi City Municipal Council to strictly enforce the rules related to setback during the construction of buildings.