THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A three-day event to rehabilitate the homeless and mentally unstable, who are seeking shelter in major areas of the city, including the Secretariat, Thampanoor, Bakery junction, Manorama Junction and KSRTC/private bus stand premises, was inaugurated by additional rural SP M K Zufiqer at 11am on Saturday.
The destitute were given a bath and groomed as part of the programme. The volunteers of the Theruvoram NGO and other social workers started the work as early as 5am. Of the around 30 individuals who were rehabilitated on Saturday, some had not taken a shower for years and had multiple sores on them.
Of them, three who showed a willingness to be relocated to a shelter home were shifted to an institution in Kottayam. Those who wanted to get back home were given transportation charges. The drive will continue on Sunday as well. “Post-Covid, the public hold the misconception that most homeless are infected by the virus.
This initiative aims to make people aware that the destitute are one among us and should not be alienated,” said an official. Thiruvananthapuram regional SP, inspector of police (Thampanoor) Prakash R, Palakkad ASI Reena Jeevan, social workers Theruvoram Murukan and Bombay Jose, vlogger Mukesh M Nair, Shiju Abu Bakker, Jeevan R P, Vinayachandran, Sheeja, Adv Noufal, Kollam Ganesh, Neyyattinkara Suresh , Nisa Kazhakootam, and Johnny Thiruvananthapuram are the ones behind the successful implementation of the programme.