KOZHIKODE: The big bang arrival of the Gender Park is clouding the future of the children and destitute in Vellimadukunnu here. The 24-acre of land which houses 10 government institutions including children’s home for boys, children’s home for girls, old age home, Home for the mentally disabled children and mahila mandir was envisioned as a space for impoverished, orphaned children and women.
It was in 1937 that the Sait Nagji family donated 27-acres of their land to the government for '1 lakh to construct houses for the poor. Thus, the poor home society was formed with A.V Kuttimalu Amma as the founder president. Of the land, an acre was used up for building the government press and another 50 cents for a drinking water project later.
Now, 24-acres of land is remaining and the SJ department has begun the Gender Park project with a vision to achieve a just society where people of all gender identities converge, garner state-of-the art knowledge and encourage learning through transformative research. “The Gender park project will ultimately swallow the very purpose of the institutions at Vellimadukunnu. It will shrink the space for children and the destitute resulting in them being sidelined,” points out former Child Welfare Inspector, M Jameela.
The five-phase project will cost Rs 22 crore in the first phase and will include the setting up of the Gandhi museum, international convention centre, amphitheatre etc. The building construction is being carried out adjacent to the children’s playground. “If the big projects were meant for children and orphaned women, it could be understood,” says Mrs Jameela.
A former superintendent of the children’s home for boys too shared the concern. “Big projects like South Asian Research Centre, writer’s village and residential area are coming up in different phases. It will definitely sideline the interests of poor women and children,” he said. But Gender Park CEO, Dr P.T Mohammad Sunish, dismissed the concerns. “The arrival of the gender park is a boon for the existing institutions as they would be renovated in various stages. The revamp of the children’s home for girls is included in the second stage. All constructions of the park have been conceptualized in unused land,” he elaborated.
