TIRUNELVELI: Assembly Speaker M Appavu and Collector KP Karthikeyan handed over Puthiraivannar community certificates to seven members of a family, including six children and a family head here on Thursday.
After hairdresser C Ragu’s prolonged efforts to obtain a community certificate for his two school-going daughters failed, TNIE brought the matter to the notice of the district administration in August 2023. Following this, collector Karthikeyan instructed officials including the tahsildar to visit Ragu’s house and conduct an inquiry immediately.
The administration further ordered an inquiry by an anthropologist, who later conducted a field visit to Palayamkottai, where Ragu’s house is located, and Tenkasi’s Kalankathakandi village, which is his native place.
However, since no action was taken even after 100 days of issuing the order, TNIE once again reported the family’s predicament on February 6, 2024. Consequently, Ragu and his children were handed over Puthiraivannar community certificates by the Speaker and district collector at a government function in Tirunelveli Trade Centre.
In a statement, the district administration said, “The report by the anthropologist will serve as a permanent guide to all tahsildars of the district in providing Puthiraivannar community certificates to applicants. In future, anyone from this community can get their certificates without any trouble.”
Further, in the same event, Appavu handed over a wheelchair to a 14-year-old girl, Hamarunnisa, living with cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy.
Her mother P Fathima had submitted a petition with the collector on Monday demanding financial assistance, automatic movable battery chair, a special bed and treatment at home, under the Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam Scheme. TNIE had reported the child’s plight on Tuesday.