The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : `None to listen to tsunami-hit girl'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, May 31, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

`None to listen to tsunami-hit girl'

Staff Reporter

Mother complains at Injambakkam tsunami adalat; over 500 petitions received

CHENNAI: Widows, senior citizens, the mentally challenged and the disabled turned out in large numbers at a tsunami adalat at Injambakkam here on Monday.

Minnolial, aged about 18, of Neelankarai used to be in her elements in the pre-tsunami days. The December 26, 2004 waves, which lashed the coast while she was sleeping, affected her mentally. But no help was forthcoming, says Sholinganallur panchayat member B. Jamrudh Basheer. District authorities neither listened to her plight nor granted any relief, said her mother, clutching at a bunch of papers including the ration card, a doctor's certificate, prescriptions and bills.

TNSLSA Member-Secretary M. Jeyapaul said an adalat doctor now referred the girl to a psychiatrist. After necessary certificates were issued, her case would be taken up by the adalat again at the Authority's headquarters and orders would be passed on granting relief. Out of over 500 applications taken up for hearing, only about 100 were related to tsunami, with the rest seeking assistance to get ration cards and pension for the aged, the disabled and widows.

Sahaya Mary (25), whose driver-husband was killed in a road accident in 2003, came along with her 18-month-old boy to seek assistance. She acted as a volunteer helping the aged and illiterate people in filling their applications.

"They say my case is in court. Till today, I did not approach any official for help. I am here to avail myself of the assistance meant for widows," she said.

Subramani of Injambakkam is visually handicapped and deserted by his two children. Accompanied by his wife, he came to the adalat, seeking a government dole.

After certification by the adalat doctor and a patient hearing by the members, Tambaram tahsildar S. Manoharan agreed to order a monthly pension of Rs. 200 to the old man.

The adalat, in which G.M. Akbar Ali, Principal Sessions Judge, and Mohammed Pitchai, Principal Sub-Judge of Chengalpattu district, participated, disposed of all the matters.

The TNSLSA would constitute a team to monitor compliance with adalat orders periodically, said adalat counsel V. Kannadasan.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu