TENKASI: An activist submitted a petition to the chief minister's special cell demanding a separate family welfare bureau office for Tenkasi district, citing the need for proper implementation of various family welfare schemes such as sterilisation, controlling higher-order births and prevention of female foeticides. It may be noted that currently, the deputy director of Tirunelveli has been tasked to oversee Tenkasi district as well.
In his petition, ST Magesh Pandian said the new Tenkasi district has not been provided with a separate family welfare office, even after four years into its bifurcation from Tirunelveli district. "The family welfare bureau undertakes a lot of responsibilities including the registration of pregnant mothers and provision of antenatal, natal and post-natal services. It also arranges sterilisation facilities for willing fathers and mothers, apart from providing temporary contraceptive methods like copper-T insertion, oral pill cycles, condoms etc., for spacing between pregnancies. The main agenda is to bring down birth rates and prevent female foeticides. Since Tenkasi district does not have a family welfare bureau office, it lacks implementation of various welfare schemes," said the petitioner.
When contacted by TNIE, Dr M Ramanathan, Deputy Director of Family Welfare, Tirunelveli said that his staff has been implementing family welfare programmes in Tenkasi without any delay. "We are at present reporting to both Tirunelveli and Tenkasi collectors and attending meetings conducted by both the administrations. A proposal for a separate family welfare bureau office has been sent to the state government," he added.