Old age home near Katpadi to be sealed

Action follows a surprise inspection of the facility by a team of district social welfare and revenue officials on Tuesday based on complaints that inmates were not treated properly

A privately-run old age home in Gugayanallur village in Tiruvalam near Katpadi will be sealed on Thursday by the District Social Welfare Officer (DSWO).

Collector P. Kumaravel Pandian has issued directions to officials of revenue and social welfare departments in this regard on Wednesday. This comes after a surprise inspection by a team of district social welfare and revenue officials to the home on Tuesday based on complaints that inmates were not treated properly.

“Paper work is being done for sealing the old age home. We are awaiting government orders,” S. Jegan, Tasildar (Katpadi), told The Hindu.

Revenue officials said that the decade-old home had 69 inmates — 37 men and 32 women. Among them, 61 were shifted to the government hospitals in Walajah and Vellore for medical check up. Remaining eight inmates were being accommodated in a government home.

During the inspection, officials found that inmates were not properly fed and verbal abuse was common. It was also found that the home was sealed in 2018 for similar violations but the home management managed to run the facility through court orders. Officials said that most of the inmates were homeless. Hence, they have to be accommodated only in government homes or government authorised shelters run by NGOs.

After the inspection, the home has been taken over by the district administration. The Superintendent of Police (SP), S. Rajesh Kannan, has been instructed by the Collector to submit a detailed report about the home. Alongside, written complaints on harassment are also being taken from the inmates to take necessary action against the owners of the home.