THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Youth Commission, which has raised concerns over the move to convert the Sri Chitra Home into a residential school, said that it will submit a report to the government in this regard within two days.
Pointing out that the Poor Home cannot be converted into a residential school under the Orphanage and other Charitable Homes (Supervision and Control) Act, Commission chairperson R V Rajesh said that a report would be submitted after looking into all legal aspects.
The Commission on Tuesday visited the Sri Chitra Home after complaints were raised against shifting the girl inmates who are above 18 years of age to Mahila Mandiram at Poojappura. ‘’Majority of the inmates are not ready to move out of the Home. The inmates have complained that they are being shifted against their wish,’’ Rajesh said. Moreover, the Mahila Mandiram is already beyond its capacity, he added.
As per the Orphanage and Charitable Homes Act, the inmates cannot be shifted or rehabilitated until they are fit to earn his/her livelihood or are otherwise fit to be discharged.
He also noted that a residential school was not practical as five schools were already functioning in a one-km radius of the Home. The move to convert the Poor Home into a residential school was only for commercial purpose, he added.
TRIDA had earlier submitted a proposal for a shopping complex in that area which was not taken up. ‘’After the earlier proposal for a shopping complex was scrapped, the government has now come up with the idea of a residential school and a seven-storey building, purely for commercial purpose,’’ he said.
The proposal to convert Sri Chitra Home into a residential school was taken up in a meeting held on May 21, which was attended by Minister for Social Welfare M K Muneer, Health Minister V S Sivakumar, District Collector Biju Prabhakar and other officials. In the meeting, it was also proposed that the girl inmates above 18 years of age should be shifted to Mahila Mandiram at Poojappura.
The inmates also complained about the lack of facilities at the Home, Rajesh said. Though the Home is getting a significant amount as funds and donations, the inmates are living in pathetic conditions, he said.