TIRUCHY: Taking up the cause of mentally challenged people ending up in city streets, the corporation with the help of select NGOs and social workers since last month has been rescuing and rehabilitating them. Having rescued about 20 such people so far through the drive, the civic body is also mulling over a dedicated rehabilitation shelter for them, officials said.
On the drive that is monitored by Corporation Commissioner R Vaithinathan, a senior civic body official said, “We have formed a WhatsApp group with the NGOs and social workers who have years of experience rescuing mentally challenged people.
When our officials or workers notice any such people staying under bridges or roaming in a locality, we would share the details in the group. The NGOs or social workers would visit the spot and take them away for providing necessary care.” Further, the civic body has considered a shelter for such people. Senior officials said that the corporation has initiated the process for setting up one.
Another official on the drive said, "It is difficult to trace the details of mentally challenged people ending up in the city. Most of them would not stay in one location for long but keep roaming. Therefore, whenever we spot such people, we would immediately alert our group.
Though we have saved most of the mentally challenged people from the streets, this drive would continue as such people from other areas are likely to land in the city." Commending the corporation’s move, T Gurusamy of Annamalai Nagar said, “This would ensure a dignified living for the mentally challenged. The civic body should consider coming up with more such projects for the needy."