HC anguished over lack of regulation of de-addiction centres

Anguished over lack of a system to regulate the functioning of de-addiction centres here, the Delhi High Court today asked the local agencies to "put their heads together" and come up with a plan on the issue.
A bench of Justices G S Sistani and Chander Shekhar formed a committee comprising representatives of all local bodies to be headed by the Chief Secretary of Delhi and directed it to hold a meeting for formulating an action plan.
"You have to put your heads together. You have to map it and regulate it. And nobody will pass the buck. Nothing can run in Delhi without permission of authorities," it said and listed the matter for further hearing on October 30.

The decision of the court came on a habeas corpus plea moved by the brother and father of a man who was allegedly illegally detained at a city de-addiction centre where he was admitted by his wife and children on the pretext that he was an alcoholic.
While examining the matter, the court noted that the centre in question was operating without permission or licence from the police, municipal bodies or the health department of the Delhi government.
A report by a local commissioner appointed by the court revealed that there was neither any permanent doctor, psychologist, psychiatrist or qualified counsellor, nor any kind of medical facilities available at the centre where roughly 33 persons were admitted, with no register of admission.

The report also said that the centre was being run in a highly unhygienic manner, the rooms were not ventilated and proper food was not being served.
"If he (owner of the centre) was running this in the heart of Delhi, anything could happen. God forbid, what if somebody dies there," the bench said.
The bench also said it was unclear whether the institute was a de-addiction centre, an old-age home, a guest house or "a place to park people who are not wanted by their immediate families".