THOOTHUKUDI: MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi inaugurated an ECRC (Emergency Care Recovery Centre) for mentally ill people at Tiruchendur in the presence of Social Welfare and Women Empowerment minister Geetha Jeevan. The facility was opened after a defunct Backward Class girls hostel was revamped. The state government had given the nod for improving hostels, functioning under backward class welfare department, or convert them for other purposes if it is defunct. The hostel near the bus stand was kept closed for the past three years.
The Emergency Care and Recovery Centre was sponsored by the National Health Mission in association with an NGO, Banyan. The infrastructure, doctors, nurses, medicines, and diet will be provided by NHM while the NGO will give funding for four social workers, two psychologists, therapy and rehabilitation, said collector Dr K Senthil Raj.
"The government has opened such facilities at 10 places to take care of mentally affected people. The dravidian model advocated by CM MK Stalin emphasises that no one is lower or higher to others, and that there is no gender, caste or religious differences. Everyone should form a happy society," Kanimozhi said, thanking the collector for his measures to accomplish the project.
Geetha Jeevan said the temple cities of Tiruchendur and Rameswaram and tourist sites like Kanniyakumari are home to a high number of mentally ill people, who are left by the people believing Senthil Andavar, the deity of Tiruchendur, will look after them.
