Delhi HC pulls up govt. for not complying with its order on shifting Asha Kiran shelter home inmates
The Delhi High Court on Tuesday pulled up the city government for failing to comply with its order to shift the inmates of Asha Kiran shelter home for the intellectually disabled — where 14 deaths took place — to a new building.
The court directed Secretary of the Delhi government’s Department of Social Welfare to be present before it on December 2.
A Bench of Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela noted that the Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare had made a statement before the court on August 12 that the Delhi government had agreed to purchase the MCD’s Nursing College and Hostel at Narela at a price to be determined by the civic body.
It expressed dissatisfaction over officers making commitments and then not complying with judicial orders.
“Your Secretary [of the Social Welfare Department) came to the court and made a statement that the building will be purchased at a price to be determined by the MCD. But nothing happened in these last few months. We are at the same place where it started on August 12,” the Nench said.
“We are just at a loss of words. We really do not know what you people are doing. This is not some football being played over here. We are dealing with human lives. Fourteen people lost their lives this July,” it added.
The inmates are required to be shifted to another place to decongest the overcrowded Asha Kiran home. In August, the home had 928 inmates against a capacity of 570.
The court said it was not understood as to why the Finance Department could not summon the official concerned from the MCD and seek a clarification in the last three months. It said 14 people were killed but the sense of urgency was not impressed upon the officials concerned.
Since February, 25 inmates have died at the centre which is housing more than 900 intellectually disabled people, including men, women and children, according to official data.
The court was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) moved by Samadhan Abhiyan, an NGO, seeking the constitution of an independent committee headed by a retired High Court judge to probe the incident.
Published – November 13, 2024 12:39 am IST
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