Tamil Nadu government must be sensitive to needs of special children

Madurai: Observing that the Government must be sensitive to the needs of special children, Justices K K Sasidharan and G R Swaminathan of the Madras High court Madurai bench directed state commissioner for the Differently Abled, Chennai, to take immediate action for filling up the posts of warden and other employees at the Government High School for the Deaf, Sulakkarai, Virudhunagar district. A division bench of the High court here issued this direction on a petition filed by S Karuppaiah, Dalit Liberation Front, Madurai, who stated that the Government was not taking action to fill up the posts of head master and other teachers in the school.

The petitioner's counsel R Alagumani argued that though the school has the capacity to accommodate 100 children from standards I to XII, only 49 children including 19 girls were studying now due to lack of infrastructure facilities.

Additional government pleader T S Mohammed Mohideen informed the court that the government had already filled up the headmaster post and question was only with regard to filling up the remaining posts. He also said that the government had sanctioned a sum of Rs 17 lakh for undertaking works for the institution.

“Since the government high school is meant for the deaf, every effort shall be taken by the state commissioner for Differently Abled to make it a full-fledged institution and to achieve the goal for which it was established,” said Justice Sasidharan.

"We hope and trust that the government will allot necessary funds and fill up the posts, so as to enable the institution meant for the deaf to function effectively, taking into account the larger public purpose said the Judges.

While disposing of the petition, the Court also expressed hope that the government would provide necessary funds and facilities for ten other similar institutions functioning across the state.