THE Tamil Nadu government has evolved a seven-point action plan to curb inhuman practices against women with psychiatric problems on the pretext of exorcising evil spirits. It has also stressed the need to provide rehabilitative services to the mentally ill.
Responding to the Frontline story titled Chasing spirits (November 6), which exposed savage acts such as whipping and bizarre rituals for casting away evil spirits, the Principal Secretary to the Government (Social Welfare and Nutritious Meal Programme), P. Rama Mohana Rao, suggested an action plan to the District Collectors.
He called for an action taken report from the Collectors in this regard. In a demi-official letter (No.10853/SW/ 4/2009) to them on November 11, he said that various enactments had been made to protect the rights of women who are victims of any kind of violence occurring within the family and in the society.
Enclosing copies of the article for ready reference, he said, I wish to draw your attention to a news item which appeared in Frontline magazine relating to the treatment meted out to women with psychiatric problems. Mental illness is categorised as a disability in the Persons with Disability Act, 1995. The guidelines for evaluation and assessment of mental illness and procedure for certification is done using the Indian Disability Evaluation and Assessment Scale (IDEAS) issued by the Government of India.
The report on the mass whipping of women at Vellalapatti village in Tiruchi district had thrown up questions relating to the treatment of women with psychiatric problems, he said. Attacking the dignity of women is a disturbing factor and it becomes necessary to take effective steps to curb these inhuman practices in our society, he said.
The action plan he suggested included organising awareness programmes to prevent the atrocities unleashed by a section of people on women and the inhuman practices carried out as described in the article and encouraging non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to establish homes for the mentally ill and carry out vocational training programmes for their rehabilitation.
Exploring the possibility of starting counselling and rehabilitation centres for the mentally ill with the support of NGOs, arranging periodic health check-ups for them in hospitals, assisting them through income-generating programmes implemented by the Tamil Nadu Welfare Board for the Disabled and ensuring the admission of orphaned mentally ill persons to rehabilitation centres on a priority basis are among the other measures planned.
Another important suggestion is that the Collectors organise meetings at regular intervals with officials of Health, Social Welfare and Rural Development departments; mobilise specialists in psychiatry and psychology; and extend assistance to mentally ill persons through the social security schemes of the government.
Rama Mohana Rao has asked the Collectors to instruct the district officials concerned to initiate steps on the lines suggested in the action plan with the active support of reliable NGOs and through the womens self-help groups to generate awareness, besides taking action against persons who practise or perpetuate such practices.
Experts have welcomed the governments initiative in framing the guidelines. They have also come out with suggestions to strengthen the action plan. Describing the action plan as very comprehensive, the veteran clinical psychologist Gita Menon said that the guidelines should be implemented in letter and spirit, which our government will ensure.
Dr R. Thara, director of the Schizophrenia Research Foundation, said the guidelines of the Department of Social Welfare to prevent the abuse of mentally ill women were quite commendable though not comprehensive. She informed Frontline that the reasons for the abuse included medical, social and cultural factors.
Much more attention needs to be paid to the implementation of the District Mental Health Programme. Many primary health centres do not have any medicines to treat mental illnesses, so families sometimes use their own methods of treatment, including physical and emotional abuse, she pointed out.
She called for steps to streamline the process of certification of psychiatric disability all over Tamil Nadu and provide disability benefits and allowance to the patient and his/her family.
Referring to the religious treatment for psychiatric problems, Dr Thara said Tamil Nadu had the ignominious experience of the Erwadi tragedy of August 2001. Despite government directives, treatment of mental illnesses is still going on in many temples and dargahs. This has to be stopped by the District Collectors. Unless this is done on a war footing, abuse will continue.
She agrees that establishing and running centres for the mentally ill is no mean task. She called for government support in every way, including financial help, to NGOs interested in starting such centres.
The human rights cells in the districts must be sensitive to these issues, she said. A vigilance-cum-monitoring panel under the District Collectors should be made active at least for the next few years to stop brutal practices, she added.
S. DorairajCOMMents
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