Mangalore: Confusion and chaos mar free camp for differently-abled
Pics: Ramesh Pandith
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (MD)
Mangalore, Jan 24: A camp organised on Friday January 24 at Wenlock hospital for free check-up of equipment of differently-abled turned chaotic due to a delayed registration process that lasted nearly four hours and poor arrangements.
The camp was jointly organised by the district branch of Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS), Lions' Club Mallikatta and the district administration.
People gathered in large numbers and the IRCS members were unable to control the crowd. The camp was supposed to begin at 8 am with registeration of names, but the registration process itself ended at around 12 noon.
When the people were asked to submit their income tax reports, identity proofs, ration cards and other documents, they started arguing with the staff.
National award winner for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Anjanadevi B who was in the queue said, "IRCS did not inform the people about getting any kind of document and there are no proper facilities here. I waited here from 9 am to 12 noon, still no one responded."
D P D'Souza, who is visually impaired, came from Valachil with his neighbour. He complained that organisers sent him from one table to another when he asked them directions to register.
The camp lacked volunteers, there was no drinking water facility, and people were seen moving about here and there in search of their registration counters.
People had come from far-off places like Kundapur, Udupi, Ujire, Dharmasthala and various others.
Deputy commissioner A B Ibrahim visited the camp and suggested the organisers to keep the registration counters at different places and listened to the problems of the people who had come there.
Dr Rajeshwari Devi, DMO of Wenlock hospital, IRCS DK unit chairperson Prabhakar Sriyan and others were also present.