ALAPPUZHA: Three destitute children who were displaced from the Mayithara home, near Cherthala, by the Social Justice Department last month, have found new homes following the intervention of the Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KeSCPCR). Abhijit, class X student, and Prasanth, class IX, from Kannamangalam, Chettikulangara, were sent to Thiruvanchoor, Kottayam, and Santhosh, class X student to the children’s home in Pathanamthitta. The KeSCPCR intervention came following the DC report on June 1. Abhijit and Prasanth have been enrolled in Patriarch Elias Memorial High School, Thiruvanchoor, under the Pampady sub-district. They were students of DVHS Charamagalam near Cherthala till last year.
The boys in Mayithara home were shifted on May 13 as part of the SJD’s efforts to set up girls’ homes in every district. However, the girls were shifted to the compound where an observation centre is already functioning. Children with criminal tendencies are kept in the observation home and hence they are considered as more dangerous. Alappuzha MLA and Finance Minister Dr T.M. Thomas Isaac had taken up the matter with SJD Minister K.K. Shylaja. As many as 31 minor girls are the inmates of Mayithara home now.
Though Prasanth was given a letter for stay at the Nooranad home earlier, the authorities refused to admit him saying that he had had crossed the age of 12. Geethakumari, local guardian of the boys, said that the children were satisfied with the facilities at the Kottayam children’s home. “This was made available after KeSCPCR chairperson Sobha Koshi called up the Kottayam Child Welfare Committee,” she said. However, Geethakumari said that the Pathanamthitta home lacked enough facilities and it is overcrowded. The observation home is functioning in the same building and there is only one toilet. Mr B. Mohanan, superintendent of Kottayam home, said that the Alappuzha CWC had not forwarded the transfer certificate of the boys, though they had started going to the school from Friday.
