Coimbatore: Woman seeks house for foster ‘special’ grandson
COIMBATORE: A 63-year-old woman from Samathuvapuram in Chettipalayam submitted a petition to the collector seeking a house under Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board (TNSCB) for a woman and her son residing with her for the past 13 years in the public grievance meeting on Monday.
Maniyammal has been supporting G Sheela (44) and her son Ramasamy (14), who is a special child, for the past 13 years. Another 70-year-old woman, who used to work with Maniyammal at a hotel, is also staying in the house for the past eight months. He has to be taken care of round the clock as he hurts himself due aggressive behaviour.
Sheela used to live in a rented house near Maniyammal’s house with her husband and her son. After she lost her husband Gopal 13 years ago, she was clueless as to where she should go with the around 1-year-old son. She couldn’t even go to work as the special child needed attention.
On seeing their plight, Maniyammal, who is living in a one-roomed house, took them in. Maniyammal used to work at a hotel in Coimbatore washing vessels, but she has stopped going there now due to age-related illness. Now, she is rearing goats to fend for the extended family.
“They will be left homeless if something happens to me, as my son who lives with his family near my house in the 1.5 cents land allotted to him under TNSCB is demanding me to give him my house. Hence, I am trying to facilitate a house for them,” Maniyammal told TNIE.
Sheela, who could hardly manage Ramasamy, said, “When my son was eight months old, my husband passed away. After seeing our situation, although she isn’t related to us, Amma took us to her house and is supporting us. As I could not go to work, she went to wash vessels in a hotel and earned Rs 6,500, along with the old age pension of Rs 1,000.”