A renovated autism centre is expected to come up at the Centre for Research and Development of Autistic Children under the Samagra Shiksha Keralam (SSK), on Nadakkavu Cross Road here.
Film-maker Ranjith opened the works for the Centre on Tuesday. A.K. Abdul Hakeem, district project coordinator, SSK, Kozhikode, said the plan was to have an autism park with a skill development centre. The estimated cost of the project is ₹2.30 crore in the first phase.
The existing old building of the centre would be renovated and rebuilt and another structure would come up on the premises with modern facilities.
Most probably, children can make use of it from the next academic year, Mr. Hakeem said.
Mr. Ranjith said that though our society was going backward on many fronts, there had been efforts to pave a new path towards greater love and affection. The care and consideration being given to differently-abled students was a case in point. “We can see that the Malayalam word for people with disabilities is ‘bhinnaseshi’, or those with special skills. It is a testimony to the above-mentioned care”.
S.Y. Shooja, State programme officer, SSK, said that the centre in Kozhikode was the second such venture in the State and hailed officials in Kozhikode for coming up with innovative projects for the children.
