The Indian Express            03.12.2013

BMC plans centres to help sexual assault victims in 3 hospitals

In a bid to provide post-trauma care to victims of sexual assault and to help them in reporting the crime as well as preserving evidence, the BMC will start three new centres in its major hospitals — KEM, Sion and Nair.

These centres are likely to start from January 1.

"We have often seen victims having to go from one department to another to comply with the required formalities. Now all that will be taken care of," Dr Suhasini Nagda, director of secondary healthcare services in the BMC, said.

The initiative is a joint partnership between NGO Raahat and the BMC.

According to Nagda, a victim of sexual assault can visit any of these centres where a co-ordinator will not only counsel her, but will also assist her in lodging a police complaint, in medical examination and collection of forensic reports and evidence like nails and clothes.

While the initiative will be started in the three tertiary hospitals, peripheral hospitals will also get such centres later.

According to Sion hospital's dean Dr Avinash Supe, Dr R N Cooper and Rajawadi hospitals will also get such centres.

The Hindu            03.12.2013

Kurupam tower to be reconstructed

Special Correspondent

Suggestions to be taken from experts; design to be retained

Reacting to the demolition of the Kurupam market gateway, Municipal Commissioner M. V. Satyanarayana asked officials to take all precautions to prevent recurrence of such incidents.

He said suggestions from all concerned and experts will be taken to rebuild the tower.

He said a committee should be formed with officials of GVMC, VUDA, Tourism and Endowment departments, representatives of INTACH and professors of Andhra University Architecture Department to safeguard historic structures. He asked officials of the departments concerned to take steps to rebuild the tower by taking suggestions from them.

The design should be retained while reconstructing, he said.

Historic gate

The arched gate with towers on either side was donated by Kurupam’s Raja Vyricherla Veerabhadra Raja to the Vizagpatam Municipal Corporation on September 1, 1914 to mark the coronation of King Edward VII. It was pulled down stating that it was damaged during the recent downpour.

Endowment officials said Government Whip Dronamraju Srinivasa Rao had agreed to sanction funds for the restoration.

INTACH convener P. V. Prasad also wanted the tower to be reconstructed without any changes in the design.

Former convener of INTACH Rani Sarma said steps should be taken to conserve the Queen Mary High School building constructed in 1930.

INTACH members Sohan and Jayasri Hattangadi suggested that the historic structures in the One Town area should be conserved and the surroundings beautified.

Chief Engineer B Jayarami Reddy, Superintendent V. Chandraiah, District Tourism Officer Anita and Endowments Assistant Commissioner Sujata participated.