6. SPREAD THE WORD, PLEASE!

HI EVERYONE,

There was an appeal from one blogger, Ms. Premalatha of London - of course, originally from Kombai, Tamil Nadu, India to spread the word on the plight of the poor inmates in a Girls' Hostel run by Government in Madurai, my home town. To understand the spark she got from the news coverage of NDTV and to appreciate - if possible to join in the venture - one has to know what the NDTV says about these poor girls.

Over to...NDTV



Excerpts


Defending the outrageous measure, the hostel warden says it is the best way to keep the girls under check and prevent possible premarital sex.The register has columns for the exact dates of their cycle. Even slightly irregular dates invite snide remarks and harsh reprimands by the hostel warden.But while their records may be strictly monitored, their sanitation is not. The girls claim their hostel has just one bathroom but that is exclusively for the warden. The girls can enter it but only to clean it and not use it. Ironically the moral brigade is unconcerned about the fact that the girls have to bathe out in the open after dusk.From hounding an actress for airing her views on pre marital sex to banning jeans and t-shirts on college campuses to monitoring the menstrual cycle of teenage hostel girls, primitive mindsets, it seems, are there to stay in Tamil Nadu.

More than this helpless condition of the girls, the logic given by Premalatha to start thinking to help the inmates made me sit up and think. Don't you too want to know her 'logic'? Here it is; I Quote:

Hi all,
I know many of you might be thinking that it is not a very serious issue, and there are many more serious issues you see everyday.

I agree. But, Please go through the following.

1) Less serious issue means less complications for us.
2) not politicised
3) we can have a small but focussed objective. for example: improving the facilities, i.e. building few more toilets for the girls.
4) as it is a "small" objective, there is a possibility of us seeing it happening in real sense. "small" means less "money" needed. So, there is a possibility of "making this happen" in real sense.

Premalatha continues:
We are also planning to collect some fund ourselves. It might be a fund raising event. Nothing is finalised yet. Your suggestions are welcome.

WHY NOT WE DO WHAT LITTLE WE CAN - TOGETHER, from our blogosphere?

As a first step, please contact: spread the word, please.

And also contact Ms. Premalatha with your ideas.
Her blog: http://premalathakombai.blogspot.com
Her mail id: http://premalatha_balan@yahoo.co.uk

Thank you, folks.