Closure not now

By S. Vydhianathan

CHENNAI, AUG. 8. The Government does not want to rush into any action against mental asylums in Erwadi, including their closure, unless alternative arrangements are made for the inmates.

Though the Government wants to take stringent action against the asylums, it will also consider other issues before taking a final decision. As a majority of the inmates in these asylums are almost ``discarded'' by their parents or relatives, it is a difficult task to find homes for all the inmates, according to official sources.

Though the Ramanathapuram District Collector had asked the parents or relatives to take back the inmates, only 42 out of the 600-odd patients in 16 asylums in Erwadi have returned home. The rest are still in the asylums.

Meanwhile, the Government is working out various proposals to provide relief to the mentally ill patients not only in Erwadi but also in other asylums in the State. As it is not possible for the Government to run homes or asylums on its own, it plans to seek the help of NGOs who are interested in running such asylums.

One such home run by an NGO in Madurai is doing good work in providing medical care for the mentally ill. After studying the working of the NGO, the Government may ask the premier NGOs in the State to run asylums. It would try to get funds for these asylums from various organisations apart from providing grants to them on condition that they provide medical care, including psychiatric treatment, to the inmates.

At present, the bulk of the government grants meant for the disabled are cornered by organisations working for the physically handicapped and mentally retarded children. Though mentally ill patients are categorised as ``critically handicapped,'' they seldom get assistance from the Government.

The social Welfare and Health Departments will work together to provide necessary grant for NGOs which are willing to set up asylums. Concerned about the condition of the asylums and the inmates, the Chief Minister, Ms. Jayalalithaa, has asked the officials to draft concrete proposals soon to provide relief to these patients.

The Supreme Court's notice on deaths in the Erwadi asylum has not reached the State Government so far. It will send the report as soon as it receives the notice, the sources added.

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Section  : Southern States
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