Tamil Nadu: Annai Sathya home kids get some relief

MADURAI: All the 56 children evicted from the government-run Annai Sathya home due to lack of facilities, will be now accommodated and their education taken care of in a nearby school within the city corporation limits.

This was the assurance given by regional deputy director, department of Social Defence, Madurai, before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High court on a petition filed by S Selva Gomathi, deputy director of ‘Society for Community Organisation Trust’, an NGO, after the sudden denial of accommodation at the home when schools reopened few days back.

But the parents and children insisted that the district administration allow their children to live in the home so that they could continue their education at 'Kakkai Padiniyar Corporation Girls Higher Secondary School' that is located two-km away from the home.

The Annai Sathya home was established in 1979 by former Chief Minister M G Ramachandran to enable orphan girls and students from poor socio-economic background to continue their education by staying in the home. Around 250 girl students stayed in the home prior to 2016 and 112 students stayed during the last academic year and pursued their education.

The girls who studied in this school had secured good marks in the public examinations, said Selva Gomathi.

 After the court's direction last year, authorities have reduced the strength to 35 (following Juvenile Justice Act). as there were not enough facilities to provide accommodation to 126 children.

When the case came up for hearing before a division bench comprising Justices T S Sivagnanam and C V Karthikeyan today, the special government pleader gave the detailed break-up of children and their status at the home and the authorities efforts now to accommodate the remaining children in homes within the city limit.