Uneasy calm at Erwadi

By Our Staff Reporter

Ramanathapuram, AUGUST 7. The toll in the fire mishap which shocked Erwadi rose to 27 today, with two women succumbing to injuries at the Ramanathapuram head quarters hospital. The police identified them as Mani (28) of Coimbatore and Naga Jothi of Chennai.

The decomposed bodies of the 25 mentally ill patients were buried at Thothamakanvadi near Erwadi, amid chanting of religious slogans.

Mr. A. Anwar Raja, Minister for Labour, Mr. S. Balakrishnan, MLA, Kadaladi, Mr. S. Vijaya Kumar, Collector, Mr. Balachandran, Inspector General of Police, South zone and Mr. Sanjeev Kumar, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Ramanathapuran range took part in the rites. There was an uneasy calm in the area.

Information cells

Speaking to presspersons, Mr. Tamizudeeen, District Revenue Officer, said two information cells, one at Erwadi and another at Ramanathapuram, had been opened for the benefit of parents or relatives of the deceased. The telephone numbers of these cells are 63504 in Erwadi and 30558 in Ramanathapuram.

Meanwhile, the district administration has drawn a contingency plan to streamline the operation of private asylums at Erwadi.

Speaking to presspersons here after convening a special meeting, the Collector, Mr. S. Vijaya Kumar, said various proposals had already been sent to the Government to take further action.

As a first step, the Government had imposed a ban on keeping the inmates of these homes in fetters at Erwadi.

The homekeepers had also been asked to inform the parents or the relatives of the inmates to stay with them until they were cured. They had been asked not to admit patients not accompanied by a companion so that family negligence could be prevented to some extent.

The management of the dargha committee had also been directed to provide all infrastructural facilities to the visiting pilgrims. A task force comprising police as well as revenue officials would monitor the operation of such homes.

Meanwhile, Mr. Mursal Ibrahim, manager of the Erwadi Dargha Huqdaar management committee, said if the Government was ready to frame rules and regulations, the dargha committee would establish mental asylums to ensure proper treatment.

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Section  : Southern States
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