Flagging horrific conditions and deaths at the Asha Kiran Home for the mentally challenged, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today directed the Chief Secretary to intervene immediately and set the situation right and file a report in a week.
Expressing distress, Kejriwal also hit out the Secretary of the Social Welfare Department, that runs the home, and sought to know the reason behind her silence on the "11 deaths", that reportedly took place over the last two months.
"I am extremely disturbed by the prevailing conditions reported by DCW and in the media on the home. Chief Secretary should personally ensure that all these deficiencies are removed within a week to the satisfaction of DCW," Kejriwal wrote in a note to Chief Secretary M M Kutty.
He further asked Kutty to fix responsibility and present a report by February 13 morning.
Yesterday, DCW (Delhi Commission for Women) chief Swati Maliwal slapped notices on the department's Secretary Dilraj Kaur over the issue after spending a night at the home with her team.
The women's panel has also set up an inquiry committee in this regard.
In a statement, Maliwal said she was shocked to find gross violation of human rights at the home "where women were roaming naked in unhygienic surroundings".
"Women were being made to remove their clothes in the open while being lined up for taking a bath. Shockingly, completely nude women were roaming around in the corridors.
"Moreover, the corridors of the dormitory had CCTV cameras installed which are being monitored by male staffers. The Commission saw the CCTV footage which captured mentally challenged women roaming around nude," she said.
(Reopens DES17)
Later in the day, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia visited the shelter for mentally challenged persons and sought a detailed report from the management.
Sisodia also inspected the facilities being provided to inmates of Asha Kiran Home for mentally challenged women and children, run by Social Welfare Department, a senior government official said.
"The Deputy Chief Minister visited Asha Kiran Home and sought the detailed report from the management over the 11 deaths of inmates there.
Sisodia also has the additional charge of Women & Child Development and Social Welfare Department.
Opposition BJP and Congress sought to corner Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government and blamed it for the deaths of 11 inmates of Asha Kiran Home for mentally challenged persons.
After Sisodia's inspection, Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari also visited the shelter home and termed the deaths "shameful" for AAP government and asked it to own up "responsibility" for the same.
Delhi Congress also slammed Kejriwal government saying the Social Welfare department, which is an important wing of government, was running without a full time minister after Sandip Kumar was caught by Delhi Police in a rape case.
