KOZHIKODE: The social justice department is all set to officially open the much-delayed ‘Priya Home’, a shelter home for mentally challenged persons at Veliyam in Kollam on July 26.
With Social Justice Minister R Bindu inaugurating the centre, it will be the fulfilment of a long-cherished dream of Kamalasan and wife Sarojini, an elderly couple living at Nadakkavu in Kozhikode, to set up a safe place for women with mental disability, including their only daughter. The couple, both retired teachers, had donated their property worth around Rs 3.5 crore to the government for setting up the home four years ago, with an agreement to open the centre within a month.
The government had also promised lifelong care for their daughter Priya, who is a schizophrenia patient. Sarojini is former CPM state secretary and Nadapuram MLA C H Kanaran’s daughter. Though the department had taken over the property which includes one-acre land and a well-furnished two-storey house with much fanfare, the project was kept in cold storage for four years following political intervention with vested interests. It was also alleged that there was a move to hand it over to a private NGO to run the shelter home.
Facility to accommodate 15 people in 1st phase, 200 in next
Though the couple approached many officials and political leaders to resolve the issue and open the centre as per the agreement, the efforts didn’t bear fruit. On July 3, TNIE reported the plight of the couple and their worry about their daughter. Following the report, the social justice minister intervened and instructed the department to open the centre immediately.
Minister Bindu’s office said the shelter home named after the couple’s daughter Priya will be functional from July 26. In the initial stage, the facility will accommodate 15 persons and the other buildings having a capacity to accommodate 200 persons will be ready in the next phase of the project.
The staff including caregivers, security persons, a cook and non-technical staff have been appointed through Kudumbashree Mission. Doctors, nurses and other medical staff will be appointed soon, said the minister’s office.
Responding to TNIE, Kamalasan said he is happy to know that the shelter home is becoming a reality. “We were mostly worried about our daughter when the project was getting delayed. Now, our worry about who will take care of our daughter after our death has been addressed,” he said.