Taking cognisance of the reported deaths of several inmates of an old age home at Rangpuri Pahari area of the national capital, the Delhi government today announced that it will provide essential services including water, power and sanitation to the facility.
Delhi Social Welfare Minister Sandeep Kumar along with AAP Delhi unit's convenor and senior leader Sanjay Singh today visited the old age home and interacted with inmates to understand their problems.
The AAP government had yesterday tasked its Social Welfare Department to prepare a report on the old age home.
While the Delhi government disowned the home saying it was neither "registered nor licensed" by it, Ravi Kalra, the director of the NGO, Earth Saviours Foundation, said that it was "recognised" by the government of India.
"It is further clarified that the said Home is neither registered with the state government nor licensed by it. On receiving the report government will decide on what action has to be taken," a government spokesperson said.
However, an official said that a grant was released four years ago for the home but "its source is not known".
Slamming the Arvind Kejriwal government for not providing a water connection to the home, one of its long-standing demands, Kalra said that he has been pressing for it for the last four months.
"They should at least take some action on humanitarian grounds if not anything else. Now they are saying we are not a registered body but this is where the government, police and the courts send abandoned people," Kalra said.
A worker of the home said that installation of iron sheds were the reason behind the deaths as the rooms get unbearably hot during the peak summer months.
"The rooms turn into ovens. For the 250-300 inmates, most of whom are seriously ill and bedridden, it's like a death knell," she said.
