THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a couple of days, the absence of a full-time superintendent could lead to a potentially dangerous situation inside the Mahila Mandiram, the crammed house for orphaned women within the Social Welfare complex at Poojappura.In the first week of July, a 28-year-old pregnant lady in the Mandiram will have to be taken to the General Hospital for a mandatory checkup. She will be accompanied by the matron of the home. This leaves only a peon in charge of the remaining 41 inmates, most of whom are highly temperamental. A person has been given charge as the superintendent of the Mahila Mandiram. But she will be at the Children’s Home, busy performing her 24-hour duty as caretaker of the Home."Anything can happen in the Mahila Mandiram next week. With the superintendent-in-charge away in the Children’s Home, there will virtually be none to control these females. I fear that some might even try to jump the place,’’ a Social Welfare Department official said on condition of anonymity. Last month, two women had escaped from the Mandiram; but were brought back. The absence of a full-time superintendent is a problem plaguing not just the Mahila Mandiram. Other female shelter homes run by the Social Welfare Department, too, have not been provided a full-time superintendent. The three ladies who have been given charge as superintendents in the four female shelter homes - Mahila Mandiram, Asha Bhavan, Home for Physically Handicapped Women and Old Age Home for Women - have to function as caretakers in the Children’s Home also."It is strange that these females are not being promoted to the rank of Grade III Superintendent. Special Rules have been issued to offer them such promotions,’’ the Social Welfare Department official said. The Special Rules for the Kerala Social Welfare Subordinate Service were issued in August 2010. Even after nine months, caretakers in Children’s Homes have not been given promotion.When the caretakers were given the charge of superintendents, they were told that it was just a two-week arrangement after which they will be promoted. Now it has been four months since they have been given temporary charge without any extra benefits. Reality is, these ladies can be at the shelter homes for not more than an hour daily. On certain days, they cannot even be present for a whole day. The apathy of the Social Welfare Department is so acute that Asha Bhavan, which requires a Grade I Superintendent, has been placed in the hands of an overworked caretaker.The smooth functioning of the shelter homes requires a full-time superintendent. Besides the administrative work, all the day-to-day and other needs of the inmates have to be taken care of. The Mahila Mandiram, for instance, wants to conduct the marriage of one of its inmates in August. For this, most of the money is collected from sponsors. The absence of a full-time superintendent, it is feared, could delay the fund mobilisation.Then there are space constraints for which only the superintendents can find a solution. Mahila Mandiram has the capacity to house only 25 inmates, but it currently holds 42. The Asha Bhavan, which lodges mentally disturbed women, ideally should have only 55 inmates. But it has 77. The Old Age Home is good for only 25 inmates, but it has to cater to 45.
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