THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It is a building occupied by around 60 destitute children, from newborns to five-year-olds, most of who are put up for adoption. The 36-year-old three-storeyed Kerala State Child Welfare Council building Thycaud, in the heart of the state capital, was adjudged dangerous in 2010 when the council decided to go for a fourth floor, without the statutory clearances regarding structural strength. The child adoption centre of the Council functions on the newly-added fourth floor where around 60 children are housed at present. An ayah of the centre who didn’t want to be named said she feared a mishap anytime. ‘’We were told by the officials that the building is safe. But I don’t believe it. Or else why didn’t it get the Corporation sanction?’’ she asks. “There were leaks and cracks on the building earlier. Now they are covered with some repair works and a fresh coat of paint,’’ she said. The inmates of the centre are infants and children who are found abandoned in the southern districts of the state. Many of them were received at the ammathottils (electronic cradles set up by the Council to receive abandoned children) situated in the districts headquarters). The recent inmate to the centre is a week-old boy child found abandoned in the ammathottil in Pathanamthitta district. Around 50 staff work in shifts at the centre. If any mishap happens, the life of these innocent kids who fall under the age group of 0-5 years would be at risk. The State Human Rights Commission in March this year, acting on a petition filed by social worker and director of the Indira Gandhi National Foundation Raiju K Thomas, had directed the City Corporation to ‘conduct an inquiry in an expeditious manner’ into the matter.The Corporation found that the 36-year-old building was modified without examining its structural stability and foundation stability. The building lacked a mandatory fire escape stair and failed to get NOC from the Fire and Rescue Services Department. Based on its findings, the Corporation on October 12 this year issued a Confirmation Notice to the Council to demolish the unauthorised structure within 15 days. However nothing has been done so far. Many fear that the govt and the Council, which has the Chief Minister as its ex-officio president and Social Welfare Minister as its first vice-president, are turning a blind eye towards the danger that lurks. Council general secretary C Krishnan said that the building had structural stability. “The Council had submitted a stability certificate but it was rejected by the Corporation for reasons unknown,’’ he said.Meanwhile, sources at the Corporation said that steps were being taken to demolish the added structure. “Since the Council had not acted upon our order we would demolish the new structure and will extract the cost of the same from them. Or else, if any untoward incident happens, the Corporation will be held responsible,’’ he said.
Comments
0 comment