Chennai, 10 Nov (H.S.):

PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss on Tuesday demanded stringent safety guidelines for government-aided and private shelter homes following the drowning of five people, including four schoolgirls, in a lake near Tiruvannamalai on Monday.

Expressing shock over the tragedy, Ramadoss blamed the shelter home authorities for taking the children to the waterbody without properly assessing the risks involved.

The incident occurred at Anaipirandhan village near Tiruvannamalai, where four schoolgirls residing at a government-aided private charitable shelter and a female employee, identified as Thenmozhi, drowned while bathing in the lake.

In a social media post, Ramadoss conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and demanded immediate measures to prevent similar tragedies.

According to information cited by the PMK leader, the lake had filled up following continuous rainfall in the region. The waterbody reportedly contained thick deposits of mud and slush, making it difficult for the children to escape after getting trapped.

Thenmozhi, who reportedly attempted to rescue the drowning girls, also lost her life during the rescue attempt.

Ramadoss alleged that the tragedy could have been avoided had the shelter authorities exercised adequate caution before allowing the children to enter the lake.

He urged the Tamil Nadu government to prohibit government-aided and privately managed orphanages and residential care institutions from taking children to potentially dangerous locations, particularly lakes, ponds, rivers and other waterbodies, without appropriate safety arrangements.

The PMK leader also demanded that the government formulate and issue comprehensive Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) governing outdoor activities involving children residing in shelter homes.

He stressed that the safety and welfare of children living in residential institutions must receive the highest priority and that adequate preventive measures were essential to avoid the recurrence of such incidents.

The tragedy has raised concerns about safety precautions during outings organised by residential childcare institutions.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman