Seminar to educate farmers on suicide - Sept 10

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Sep 09, 2015 :  To mark World Suicide Prevention Day,  District Legal Services Authority and the Health Department will be jointly holding a programme to prevent farmers from committing suicides. The programme will be held at the Netravathi Auditorium on the zilla panchayat Sept 10,  Thursday.

Member secretary of the Dakshina Kannada District Legal Services Authority, told media that the programme was a part of an initiative taken up by the Executive Chairman of Karnataka Legal Services Authority, for a coordinated effort for mitigating problems faced by farmers. Though the district had not reported any cases of farmers committing suicide because of distress from loans, there was a need for them to be aware of various options available for addressing problems they were facing. The Legal Services Authority has taken a lead in generating this awareness.

District Health Officer said the programme on Sept 10, Thursday ; would be attended by around 300 farmers from different parts of the district. Dr. Ravish Tunga and Dr. Srinivas Bhat, well-known psychiatrists, will speak at the programme.

They will speak on ways to handle persons who have suicidal tendency and to prevent them from taking the extreme step. Officials from Agriculture and Horticulture departments will also address farmers.