Last Sunday, an inspection by Delhi Commission For Women revealed that patients Asha Kiran Home for the mentally challenged in north-west Delhi were living under deplorable conditions. On Monday Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal directed the Chief Secretary to intervene immediately and set the situation right and file a report in a week.
The Chief Minister’s directive came a day after an inspection by Delhi Commission for Women following the reports of 11 deaths in the home in the past two months. The inspection revealed that women patients were found roaming naked inside the mental home. The Commission also found that the institution was heavily understaffed and patients were living in extremely unhygienic conditions without adequate blankets and clothes.
This isn’t the first instance where Asha Kiran came in the news for wrong reasons as the mental home has violated rules and regulations on numerous occasions.
In November 2016, Delhi Commission for Women had issued a notice to the organisation after it observed overcrowding and shortage of staff during an inspection. It had then asked the Superintendent to submit details of total inmates present (gender wise), sanctioned staff of the home, present staff, medical services and diet provided to occupants.
An RTI query in January 2015 revealed that 51 deaths were reported in the year 2014, reports Indian Express.
An India Today report in September 2014 revealed that inmates died in the mental home every week due to government apathy.
In 2012, Delhi High Court lashed out strongly against Delhi government for the deplorable conditions inside the mental home.
“There can’t be any worse kind of human rights violation. Are they cattle? You keep them like animals,” the bench had then remarked, reports The Times of India.
(With inputs from PTI)
(Feature image source: Twitter| Hindustan Times)
