ALAPPUZHA: The State Child Welfare Council, which introduced the Ammathottil (cradle) project in the state in 2002, has brought in 30 new high-tech Ammathottils to take care of abandoned children.
The 15 existing Ammathottils which are non-functional due to poor maintenance will be replaced with new ones. The revived project being launched with the technical assistance of Kerala State Industrial Enterprises at a cost of Rs 3.12 crore will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in Thiruvananthapuram next month.
Council general secretary S.P. Deepak said that at least '12 lakh is required for the installation of a single Ammathottil that includes cradle and a building facility to house it. Eight places already have buildings. The government has not allotted any special funds for the project. Besides the council’s fund, money will be collected from the legislators concerned. As per the agreement, the KSIE will rectify glitches within 24 hours, he told DC.
The Ammathottil has a small space with a cradle where kids can be left. The application-based technology will alert officials, including the district collector, state and district child welfare council office -bearers when the cradle receives a baby. A voice message gives guidelines to the person who enters the building.
Mr Deepak also said that the council had set up district-based foundling homes to look after the abandoned newborns. “It will help the council achieve greater transparency in adaptation under the guidelines of the Central Adoption Resource Agency (CARA).
During the last couple of years, the number of abandoned babies has gone up and 256 newborns were received by the council from Ammathottils since 2001, he said.
It may be recalled the Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR), after finding the poor condition of Ammathottil in Pathanamthitta, had issued an order on December 31, 2015 asking the council to revive all Ammathottil facilities in the state. All 15 cradles currently functioning in the state, except in Kozhikode district, will be replaced with new ones.
The contracting company Sahya Valley Technologies (P) Ltd had failed to provide proper maintenance to the existing facilities.
