In a typically ironic and pathetic situaiton, a labourer in the Cauvery Delta region, who had been suffering for want of aids/relief material from the State Govt. authorities, sold off his 12-year old son so as to get Rs.10,000 to renovate the house and re-set the thatched room which had been brought down by ‘Cyclone Gaja’ a few weeks back.

Thanjavur was among the many Districts which were significantly affected by ‘Cyclone Gaja’ which struck the region almost 40 days back. Though many days have passed by since the tragedy struck, situation hasn’t been brought to normalcy in respect of the lives of many farmers and poor who had lost their belongings including their house to the cyclone.

Marimuthu, who works as a daily-wage labourer, resides at Anna Colony in Pattukkottai. Marimuthu and Vasantha have three children and the family was residing near their small piece of land in a thatched-roofed house. Marimuthu tried his best to get relief material or financial assistance from authorities but his efforts went in vain as no help was forthcoming from any quarter.

He needed money to renovate the house and feed the family and found no other way but to ‘sell off’ his 12-year old son for Rs.10000 to Chandru, who runs a farm at Panangudi Village in Nagapattinam District. The boy was working as bonded labour for three weeks before the issue got leaked after which officials from the Welfare Deptt. visited the farm, inspected and rescued the boy.

Interrogation revealed the irony and the deal between Marimuthu and Chandru. The boy has now been kept at a Children’s Home run by the State. Case has been filed against Chandru while the boy’s father is also being interrogated.