"From today onwards, no widow of Virandavan will sleep without food. Each and every widow will get food every night," Sulabh founder Bindeshwar Pathak said while launching a programme for destitutes here.
The apex court had recently taken a strong exception to the manner in which the bodies of widows, who lived in government shelter homes at Vrindavan, were disposed - by chopping them into pieces and putting them in gunny bags - on the plea of lack of money for proper cremation.
The court had expressed serious concern over lack of provision of food as well.
The court asked the NALSA (National Legal Service Authority) to contact the Sulabh International to find out whether they could come forward to help the 1,780-odd widows living in four government shelters at Vrindavan.
"Now, we will take care of every need of the widows and orphans who roam about and beg on the streets of Vrindavan. Sulabh will ensure food, clothing, proper health care and hygiene," Pathak said.
With his vast experience in the field of low-cost sanitation and social uplift of the manual scavengers, the Sulabh founder said his first task would be to motivate the orphans and able bodied widows to undergo vocational training so that they can earn their livelihood.
"Sulabh will arrange training and provide employment to able-bodied widows," he said. (MORE)
