‘They should be made aware of the various government facilities available’

Expressing serious concern about the rehabilitation of former devadasis, Shivanagowda, District Principal and Session Judge and Chairman of District Legal Services Authority, has said that officials of government departments concerned should take all necessary steps to rehabilitate them with government facilities.

He was speaking after inaugurating a legal aid programme for devadasis, organised by the Karnataka Legal Services Authority, the District Bar Association, the Devadasi Rehabilitation Project, and the Child Development Project under Women and Child Development Department here on Friday.

Mr. Shivanagowda, who explained how girls were forced to become devadasis, said it was a horrendous practice.

But, it was being prevented by laws which punish the responsible persons who force girls to accept the practice.

Now, it is the responsibility of the officers to extend benefits and all facilities while rehabilitating the former devadasis effectively, he said.

Appealing to the public to join hands with law enforcing agencies, the judge said that officials should conduct campaigns to create awareness among the former devadasis and explain to them the facilities offered by the government and also explain how education is important for their children. S.N. Hiremath, project officer for devadasi rehabilitation, said that 1,169 former devadasis have been identified in the district.

Of them, 852 are getting a monthly pension.

He also said that 914 former devadasis have been chosen as beneficiaries of the government housing scheme in which they get ₹1.75 lakh in phases. Prabhakar, Deputy Director of Women and Child Development Department, also spoke. Arati Dhanashree, District Supervisor of District AIDS Prevention and Control Unit, Radha Mannur, CDPO, C.S.Malipatil, Nagayya Guttedar, Vinayakumar Kulkarni, advocates, Sharanamma, and others were present.