GP president stages dharna on terrace in Shivamogga

His demand has been to appoint regular doctors at the Health and Wellness Centre in Nagara

Karunakara Shetty, the president of Mundugoppa Gram Panchayat in Shivamogga’s Hosanagar taluk staged a dharna on Tuesday, February 14, by climbing on top of the roof of the Health and Wellness Centre in Nagara, Hobli center, demanding for regular doctors at the center.

The centre has the sanctioned strength of two medical officers. However, for many months, medical officers were posted on a temporary basis with no signing authority. Every other day a new doctor would work there.

“I had urged the officers repeatedly to post doctors on a regular basis. Those doctors with no signing authority cannot conduct a post-mortem or handle medicolegal cases. Nagara is the head quarter of a hobli with a population of more than 20,000. The villagers have to go to Mangaluru or Manipal for healthcare. “As they did not budge, I staged a dharna on the terrace,” Mr. Karunakara Shetty told The Hindu.

Mr. Shetty began the protest around 10 a.m. and continued until 3 p.m. By the afternoon, senior officers had issued an order assigning two doctors to the center. Dr. Lavanya Naik and Dr. Surekha B.A. were posted to duty at the centre. “I withdrew the protest only after the letter of delegation was shown to me,” he said.

Karunakara Shetty had staged similar protests earlier.