Mysore/Mysuru: Chamaraja MLA L. Nagendra performed Guddali Puja (Ground-breaking ceremony) for the new building of Sakhi Santwana Kendra, a one stop centre that provides legal and medical aid to women and child victims of atrocities, at Cheluvamba Hospital premises here on Wednesday.

Speaking on the occasion, Nagendra said that the Sakhi Kendra is currently functioning at a small chamber of Cheluvamba Hospital. But the Government, taking note of the need for a more spacious facility, allotted Rs.48 lakh under the Centre’s Nirbhaya fund, with which the new building is being constructed. Pointing out that the building is coming up at a 40’x40’ site behind the Children’s’ Hospital in Cheluvamba Hospital premises, he said that the construction work has been taken up by Nirmithi Kendra.

Stating that the construction agency has been asked to complete works in four months, he said that the Kendra is a boon for women victims as it provides them medical, legal and counselling services, all under one roof.

Women and Child Welfare Deputy Director K. Padma told Star of Mysore that the Sakhi Santwana Kendra was established in a small chamber of Cheluvamba Hospital in November 2014. Now exactly six years later, the Santwana Kendra is getting a new building, with the MLA performing the ground-breaking ceremony for its construction.

Pointing out that the Santwana Kendra provides care for women and girl children who fall victims of atrocities and crimes such as dowry harassment, domestic disharmony, molestation, sexual harassment, child marriage, human trafficking, acid attacks etc., she said that all victims visiting this Kendra need not have to go to Police Stations to lodge complaints. The Kendra will extend all necessary legal, medical aid and counselling services under one roof, she added.

Cheluvamba Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr. Pramila, Corporator M.D. Nagaraj, Women and Child Welfare Programme Officer Geethalakshmi, Nirmithi Kendra Engineers Lava and Satish, leaders Dinesh Gowda, Praveen Kumar and others were present.

Development works

Earlier on Tuesday, continuing his spree of launching development works, MLA Nagendra  performed Guddali Puja for a slew of development works totally worth Rs.50 lakh in the constituency.

The works included road and UGD construction works at B.M. Shri Nagar’s Ambedkar Jnanaloka Colony coming under MCC Ward 7, costing Rs. 25 lakh and concrete road and UGD works at Lokanayakanagar, Pourakarmika Colony in Hebbal coming under Ward 4, costing Rs. 25 lakh.

Corporators Ramesh and Pailwan Srinivas, Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Limited (KRIDL) AEE Thippareddy, BJP leaders Somashekararaju, Puneet, Kumaragowda, Puttabuddhi, Ramegowda, Manju and others were present.