Following widespread complaints that Mercy Home, a home for HIV-affected children in Puliakulam near Vinayagar temple, is in bad shape and devoid of basic amenities, a team of Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation officials, led by Deputy Commissioner P Gandhimathi, inspected the home here today evening and instructed the owner R Riaz to improve basic amenities.

The home is run in a village community hall and houses 35 HIV-affected inmates, between the ages of three to twenty years.

“Basic amenities such as providing overhead tank for drinking water supply, and renovation measures, including new flooring on the first floor will be carried out at outlay of Rs 13 lakh. Tenders have already been floated and the works will commence soon,” said the deputy Commissioner. “The home was in a bad shape, and complaints were pouring in. Steps are being taken to augment infrastructure facilities and basic amenities to the inmates.”

The inmates regularly receive antiretroviral therapy at Coimbatore Medical College Hospital.