Netra Jyothi Project: Successfully implemented in Kallikkad Village, Kallikkad Gram Panchayat of Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala has recently been declared as a completely eye disease free Panchayat. In a recent development, about 1,480 visually impaired persons residing in the Kallikkad Gram Panchayat area were provided free spectacles in suitable size and frame of their choice under the Netra Jyothi Project. The closing ceremony of the project and declaring Kallikkad village as an eye disease free Panchayat was conducted by Dr. Chitra Raghavan of Regional Institute of Ophthalmology, Thiruvananthapuram. The programme was presided over by Kallikkad Gram Panchayat Pradhan Pantha Sreekumar. Rotary Club of Trivandrum South President Rtn Parvathi Reghunath along with Netra Jyothi Project Chairman Jishnu MP explained the main objective of the project. With the objective of making the village free from eye diseases, Kallikkad Gram Panchayat and Rotary Club of Trivandrum South in collaboration with Regional Institute of Ophthalmology, Thiruvananthapuram conducted eye check-up camps in all the districts of Kallikkad Gram Panchayat during the last three months.
Some renowned eye doctors led by Dr. Chitra Raghavan, Office Bearers of Rotary Club of Trivandrum South and all Ward Members conducted 22 eye check-up camps in Kallikkad Gram Panchayat area. The place has a population of about 17,000 inhabitants. More than 3,000 people visited the eye check-up camps, out of which about 118 were referred to Dr. Chitra Raghavan. Their cataract surgery was done free of cost at Regional Institute of Ophthalmology, Thiruvananthapuram. About 150 people suffering from various eye diseases were referred to the nearby District Hospitals of Neyyattinkara and Nedumangad for treatment. The Rotary Club also distributed spectacles to about 1,480 visually impaired people. Ward members Bindu S, Sreekala O, Vineeta UT, Pradesh Murali, Binu S, Anila SS, Dilip Kumar S and Kala J were also present at the event. Kallikkad Grama Panchayat Secretary Meera N Menon expressed her gratitude to all those who actively participated in this noble cause. Several other political personalities were also part of the event.
