Official’s report indicates Kokkada endo centre mismanaged

Mangalore Today News Network

Puttur, Sept 11, 2019: A sharp dip in the strength of inmates reveals mismanagement of the day care centre for endosulfan victims at Kokkada in Belthangady taluk by Seon Ashram, reveals the report by Puttur Assistant Commissioner H K Krishnamurthy to DK DC.

The total strength has fallen from 35 to 12 at the centre, according to a report submitted to the deputy commissioner.

The six-page report recommends a taluk-level committee comprising of tahsildar and the taluk health officer, among others, be formed to monitor the day-to-day activities at the Kokkada centre. If there is no improvement in the overall management of the centre within a fortnight, the agency running the centre needs to be changed as per the government guidelines, it adds.

Following complaints by parents  and Belthangady MLA Harish Poonja of improper treatment of the inmates former DK DC  Sasikanth Senthil had written to the Puttur assistant commissioner to visit the centre and submit a report. Krishnamurthy was also asked to verify the claims made by Seon Trust in its letter submitted to the District Health and Family Welfare Department recently.

The assistant commissioner had listed as many as 10 grievances of parents and the responses of Seon Trust. The report mentions that the Trust given the contract of running the day care centres at Kokkada and Koila from June, had not installed CCTV cameras. It also revealed that the centre had failed to take the parents of endosulfan victims into confidence.