T.N.’s first de-addiction centre for juveniles kindles hope

Rehabilitation of children and teenagers is the need of the hour, say experts

Lifeline Centre for Prevention of Children from Alcoholism and Substances (Drug) Abuses in Chengalpattu was opened three months ago at a cost of ₹22.99 lakh. B. Velankanni Raj

A CCTV camera captured the image of a teenager snatching a chain from a woman who was walking on the road with her husband in Kundrathur a few weeks ago. The video went viral and it didn’t take long for the police to nab the teen. The incident changed the lives of 16-year-old Siva* and his family.

“I needed money to buy alcohol. I am deeply ashamed of the pain I’ve caused everybody,” said Siva. Now he comes every month with his mother to the Lifeline Centre for Prevention of Children from Alcoholism and Substance (Drug) Abuse in Chengalpattu. This is the first de-addiction centre set up by the Department of Social Defence for children and juveniles in conflict with the law in the State. The centre was opened three months ago at a cost of ₹22.99 lakh.

Siva’s mother became emotional while recalling the tough times her family went through after his arrest. She claims that she, her elder son and daughter lost their jobs. “My granddaughter was also removed from school. When I found that Siva was also addicted to drugs and alcohol, I was shattered,” she said.

Siva is among the 15 children who are being rehabilitated at the centre. It currently houses five children accused of crimes such as robbery. Nine have already been rehabilitated. “We have children in the age group of 11 to 17, a few of them have multiple addictions,” said Chezhian Ramu, founder of the organisation.

The youngest in the centre, 12-year-old Raghu*, who is hardly four feet tall, was admitted two months ago after his mother found that he was addicted to marijuana. “He used to smoke 10 times a day since he was 10. He looks much better now,” Mr. Ramu said.

While the centre has its own rehabilitation programme, he said it would be helpful if local government hospitals admitted these children and kept them under observation during the initial phase. “The first few weeks are very crucial. Children need extra attention from doctors and psychiatrists. But they refuse to admit them citing risks,” said Mukesh Kumar, project coordinator. “We also find it difficult to get psychiatrists to visit them. It is risky to take these children and travel for therapy. It would help if we had our own psychiatrist,” Mr. Kumar added.

‘A centre in every district’

An official from the Juvenile Justice Board said it was the duty of the State to provide well-equipped staff in de-addiction centres to help in successful rehabilitation.

The official stressed on the need to have one de-addiction centre in every district as a significant number of juveniles in conflict with the law were also habitual substance abusers. “At least 40% of children who come to observation homes across districts have some form of substance addiction. It is important to rehabilitate them at the right time before it worsens,” he said. Social Defence officials said that they had opened the centre as a pilot project and would soon be setting up more.

* Names changed