Moved by orphaned girl’s plight, Collector offers house and job

On Wednesday, it was a moment of surprise of their life time as Tiruvannamalai Collector KS Kandasamy sanctioned houses to the trio and offered job to one of them. 

On August 13, Kandasamy saw a 19-year-old girl, who was waiting to hand over a petition at the weekly grievance redressal day meeting, standing with tears. 

When the Collector enquired her, the girl, V Anandhi of Kanakilupai village in Arni panchayat union, told him that she lost her mother two years ago and her father died the next year. After her grandmother, who took care of Anandhi and her brother and sister, was hospitalised recently, the girl was forced to go for farm work to support the family financially.

Anandhi sought the Collector’s help to get her mother’s job (noon meal scheme helper in Kanakilupai government elementary school) on compassionate grounds. Anandhi further said that the job was refused to her as she was not 21 years. Kandasamy, who received the petition, gave her Rs 15,000 to meet family expenses for two months and assured to help her. He then spoke to officials in Chennai, explained the family’s circumstances and ensured that the girl was offered a job as noon meal coordinator in Panchayat union middle school at Kanakilupai.

Kandasamy said, “The girl’s story was heart rending and as a collector it was my duty to help her. When I explained matters, officials in Chennai immediately obliged and she got the job.”

Kandasamy then called Anandhi’s sister Amudha and got her admitted to B Sc Biochemistry in a private college near Arni. Amudha was enrolled in BA (Tamil) (correspondence) course in Annamalai University.

Kandasamy visited Anandhi’s house at Kanakilupai on Wednesday and had lunch with the three siblings. Anandhi signed the job offer and joined work the same day. Kandasamy, also presented her with a bicycle to travel to work and allotted a government sponsored green house for them. Anandhi said, “We are thankful to the collector.”