A photograph of a minor girl feeding her mother, suffering from epilepsy, that went viral in social media has drawn the attention of Virudhunagar district administration.
The woman, Guru Backiam (38), was deserted by her husband, after she developed chronic seizures. She brought up her two children - a boy and a girl - by taking up some work or other despite her health issues. However, she fell on hot dosa plate while cooking and suffered burn injuries that crippled her movement. While her son Ramesh, 15, chose to be the family’s bread-winner, the daughter, Mahalakshmi, 8, nursed her mother at home in Seithur near here.
As the family suffered due to acute poverty, a social activist posted their plight in the social media tagging the Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin. Subsequently, Rajapalayam MLA S.Thangapandian visited Guru Backiam’s house and handed over ₹ 10,000.
Collector J. Meghanath Reddy promised all possible assistance to the poor family. Rajapalayam Tahsildar P. Ramachandran said that the Collector had visited the woman with a team of medical officers to provide better treatment to the woman. He gave her a monthly assistance of ₹ 1,000, meant for destitute women, and a ration card for the family. The family also got ₹15,000 special assistance from the Collector’s discretionary funds.
When the district administration wanted to give her a house under Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board’s project, she wanted a house in close proximity to her place of dwelling. The Collector has promised to give her a free house-site patta and construct a house. The Tahsildar has got ready a gift hamper of groceries worth ₹ 15,000 to the family. The family did not approach any departments seeking any help. However, we have extended all these help to the family,” he added.
Sattur Revenue Divisional Officer R. Pushpa was present.
