Camp helps mentally ill persons get legal guardianship
TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: District authorities on Sunday took a big step to get legal guardianship for the mentally retarded persons in South Goa.
The Local Level Committee of the South Goa Collectorate and the Margao Municipal Council jointly organized a day-long camp for the mentally retarded persons at the ESI hospital, Margao on Sunday.
Inaugurated at the hands of MMC Chairperson Arthur D’Silva, the camp was organized to facilitate certification of persons to obtain legal guardianship for the mentally retarded persons.
Agrawal said that mentally retarded persons cannot avail of government schemes unless they have legal guardians to act on their behalf. “Unless there are legal guardians, mentally retarded persons will not get any assistance from any government departments. He is not entitled to file an application or open a bank”, Agrawal said, adding “today, we have completed the first formality by holding the medical camp certifying that he is or she is a mentally retarded person”.
The Collector thanked the MMC for its support to the district authorities.