JOIN USEmphasising the need to give priority to rehabilitate Endosulfan victims in Dakshina Kannada and neighbouring districts, High Court Judge and Bangalore Mediation Centre Chairman K L Manjunath said that the Endosulfan issue has to be addressed on a serious note on par with malnutrition cases.
He was speaking at the inauguration of an awareness workshop on prevention of malnutrition among children and bringing back the children who have been left out of the school at Rosario Cathedral hall on Saturday. The programme was jointly organised by the Dakshina Kannada District Legal Services Authority, district administration, Zilla Panchayat and Mangalore Bar Association.
Effect of Endosulfan is a major problem impeding in Dakshina Kannada district. The government and the district administration has to take up rehabilitation measures for Endo victims in every village and bring the victims to mainstream.
The situation of Endo victims turns worse after the death of their parents and rehabilitation should be planned keeping this in mind, he said.
Briefing about malnutrition cases reported in DK district, Manjunath said that according to the information available with the women and child welfare department, the number of children suffering from malnutrition in the district is 378.
There were 2,583 malnutrition cases reported in the district in November 2012, which gradually declined due to intervention from the department concerned.
Majority of the malnourished children are not from Dakshina Kannada origin, but they are the children of migrant workers, he said.
“Sky is the limit for the Legal Service Authority,” he said, adding that the Authority enjoys the privilege to touch upon various social issues for the welfare of the society. Judges are now not restricted only to deliver judgements, their scope has widened, he said.
Inaugurating the workshop, High Court Judge and State Legal Service Authority Executive Chairman N K Patil said the committee headed by him to prepare an action plan for preventing death of children because of malnutrition in the State, has submitted its recommendations to the government.
The government had assured of implementing the recommendations. The number of malnutrition cases is highest in Hyderbad Karnataka and urban areas.
Effective implementation of the existing Acts for the benefit of women and children and creating awareness about the beneficial schemes is the need of the hour, he said.
The workshop was organised for anganawadi supervisors, teachers, workers, nurses and ASHAs.