The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : State Government grants permanent site for Nethrodaya

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 22, 2007
ePaper


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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

State Government grants permanent site for Nethrodaya

Staff Reporter

6.5 grounds of land allocated at Nolambur

OFF THE BLOCK: Thiruvallur Collector Ranvir Prasad and C. Govindakrishnan, founder of Nethrodaya participate at the ground breaking ceremony at the land allotted for Nethrodaya in Nolambur on Sunday. The organisation's patron, R.S.Vasan (extreme rig ht) and Shibu Isaac of Force One Guarding Services (extreme left), are also in the picture. — Photo: K.Pichumani

CHENNAI : Nethrodaya, a voluntary organisation for the visually impaired, was on Sunday formally provided a permanent site in Nolambur by the State Government as a reward for its dedicated service to visually impaired students.

About 6.5 grounds have been provided at Nolambur Phase II to construct a permanent building.

Nethrodaya has been running in rented premises since its establishment in 2002. It has reached out to 152 visually impaired students of whom 34 are employed.

Everyone who spoke at the foundation stone laying ceremony on Sunday had a word of praise for C. Govindakrishnan, founder trustee who has striven for the betterment of the differently-abled, himself being visually challenged.

Various initiatives

Thiruvallur Collector Ranvir Prasad hailed the organisation's efforts in empowering the visually impaired through various initiatives.

Saying that the government order was passed in a record time impressed by the work of the Nethrodaya, he appealed to public and elected representatives to join hands in the ventures of the organisation. Mr. Prasad later participated at the ground-breaking ceremony.

Novel scheme

Donors showed their commitment to the cause by purchasing donor coupons of a novel scheme where people sponsored a square foot by donating Rs. 650 towards constructing a building. The Government has sanctioned a total building area of 12,000 sq ft.

R.S. Vasan, the organisation's patron and retired Coast Guard officer, purchased 12 coupons. Questnet, another patron donated Rs.60,000.

Mr. Govindakrishnan said that an integrated centre of excellence for both visually impaired and orthopaedic persons would be established. An exclusive shop and old-aged home for the visually challenged were also planned.

"We also want to include a post-operative care unit and new vocational training unit in the new building," Mr. Govindakrishnan said.

He wanted the government to reach out to more such organisations involved in Shibu Isaac, managing director of Force One Guarding Services, V. Narayanan, director of Chennai Wellington Corporate Foundation and Joseph Augustine of Questnet also participated. Nethrodaya's helpline is 044-26565012.

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