The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : NLC to extend support to special school

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Wednesday, Dec 12, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

NLC to extend support to special school

Special Correspondent

“Funds will not be a constraint for such an endeavour”

It has 375 special children on its rolls
Children trained by the school have joined regular schools

NEYVELI: The Neyveli Lignite Corporation will extend all possible support to the special school for mentally challenged children, Sneha, to impart training among children and teachers, according to S. Jayaraman, Chairman-cum-Managing Director, NLC.

Speaking at a function organised in connection with the ‘National Day for mentally challenged’ here, Mr. Jayaraman said the school, being run under the aegis of the NLC , had 375 special children on its rolls.

The children trained by the school had joined regular schools and some of them had got employment in canteens and sales centres run by the special school.

Mr. Jayaraman said the villagers had reservations about admitting their wards in special schools. They should shed their inhibition and arrange for enrolling them in special schools so as to put them on timely therapy.

The NLC would help Sneha to enable its staff acquire necessary skills through specialised organisations. Funds would not be a constraint for such an endeavour, he said.

Joint Director of SCARF (Schizophrenia Research Foundation) Shanta Kamat said parents should accept the mentally challenged children as gift of the god. They should handle them with patience and understanding.

If they continue the training (imparted in the school) at home, there would be a great deal of improvement among such children.

Marriage among close relatives, not taking nutritious food during pregnancy, conception at tender age and not attending to injuries sustained within two years of age are some of the reasons for children to be afflicted with such a syndrome, Dr. Kamat said.

Anand Balan, a psychiatrist at Wisdom Hospital, said it was a wrong notion that the mentally challenged children would automatically get cured when they grow up. Only by giving timely treatment their lifestyle could be improved, he said.

K.S.Anandan, NLC Director (Mines), said the parents should continue the therapy at home also. J.N. Prasanna Kumar, NLC Director (Finance), said State Bank of India had adopted one of the students of Sneha and more organisations should come forward to do so.

A.R. Ansari, NLC Director (Planning and Project), said awareness should be created to accept the mentally challenged as part of society. P. Baburao, NLC Director (Personnel), said the talents of these children are brought out through cultural events staged by them.

An oath was administered to protect the rights of the mentally challenged. Ramadevi Prasanna Kumar, president of Sneha, S.Shanmugasundaram, general secretary, Shobarani, headmistress, participated.

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