BENGALURU: About 30 people affected by cerebral palsy, autism and other mental disorders, who were being taken care of at the mini Bal Bhavan in Jeevan Bima Nagar, are suddenly on the streets after Bal Bhavan authorities locked down the place over two weeks ago.
On Tuesday morning, parents gathered outside the building’s locked gates to stage a protest.
The mini Bal Bhavan was being occupied by Parents Association for Persons with Cerebral Palsy and Associated Disorders (PAPCP) since 2005 after the then Chief Minister gave them the building to run their daycare centre.
Founding parents claim that there was no set date to vacate the premises and, over the years, the simple day care centre, apart from providing physiotherapy and music therapy, also trained affected youngsters in data entry, crafts and so on. Efforts in getting the youngsters jobs as data entry operators have also succeeded. PAPCP was set up in 2005 when a number of students graduated from the Spastics Society of Karnataka (SSK).
“SSK had a long queue of youngsters waiting to join the organisation and they had done everything they could for our children. The idea to start a daycare centre came about at that point of time. SSK gave us parents some training in looking after them and some parents volunteered at the centre,” said Rekha Rao, whose daughter is affected by cerebral palsy.
The centre was a life-saver for many parents who could not afford to give up their jobs to look after a child. Most importantly, it gave the youngsters, who would otherwise spend the entire day locked up in a room, an identity and purpose.
“Initially, when youngsters joined us, they did not open up. But, over time, they have made friends, learned new skills and are confident. My son looks forward to coming to his ‘office’ every day,” said S Srinivasan, president of the association.
“My son is 33. Since 2005, he has been going to the centre regularly for physiotherapy and other activities. With nowhere to go now, he feels imprisoned and there is a rage building up in him. Over the years at the centre, he has interacted with other children and parents there and this has kept him mentally alive,” said Rajiv, who gave up his career in the army to look after his son.
According to association members, about two months ago, they were told that they would have to vacate the premises. “We spoke to the chairperson, the principal secretary and so on and we were told that the issue would be sorted out. Over the years, it always has. Senior officials in the department told us to prepare a memorandum of understanding, which would make the arrangement between Bal Bhavan and PAPCP formal. All these years, it simply has been letters of extension,” Rajiv said.
However, on March 14, chairperson of Bal Bhavan, Bhavana Ramanna broke the locks of the building and replaced it with new ones. A complaint was filed at the Jeevan Bima Nagar police station stating that they had illegally encroached the property.
When contacted, Bhavana said the parents were illegally occupying the building. “We have had meetings with the parents but they are rude and not willing to even listen. I even gave them a list of places where they could take their children,” she said.
When told that there were not too many options for adults with such disorders in terms of daycare or training facilities, Bhavana responded saying, “That is their responsibility. It is not a justification for occupying government property.” She added that Bal Bhavan did not have funds to provide to ‘handicapped’ persons and there were other departments who looked after them.
“Let them run the centre, but not in our building,” she said. When asked what she planned to do with the building, Bhavana said that did not matter in this context. “Most Bal Bhavans are shared with others. There are very few buildings that we have as our own. We cannot allow other people to encroach them,” she said.