Ten days after at least five inmates of a women's hostel in the city faced alleged harassment, the Social Welfare Department has served notice to 300 hostels in Coimbatore to obtain the mandatory licence to run such facilities.
This is the first time the Department is serving notices to hostels to abide by the norms for the operation of hostel or homes for women/children.
The action came after Social Welfare Department found that Dharsana Residency Women's Hostel, owner and warden of which were booked for alleged harassment of inmates, was being operated without the licence mandated under Tamil Nadu Hostels and Homes for Women and Children (Regulation) Act, 2014. The investigation also found that hostel owner Jaganathan used to visit Punitha at the facility during odd hours.
“Notices have been served to 300 hostels as on Wednesday. Around 50 operators of hostels have agreed to apply for registration and licence on Thursday. We have so far identified 950 hostels operating in the city,” an official from District Social Welfare Office, Coimbatore, told The Hindu on Wednesday.
The official said that the licence will be issued after a team from the office visit each facility. “The licence will be issued only if the facility is operated as prescribed by the norms,” said the officer.