File a factual report on the functioning of old age homes: Telangana High Court

The High Court CJ Bench directed the Principal Secretaries of the Social Welfare Department and the Women and Child Welfare Department, to make a surprise visit to the old age homes in the State to know the functioning. Moreover, they should spend their weekends at the old age homes and find out the ground reality, the lacunae about infrastructure, space, facilities and hinted that after their surprise inspections, the Chief Justice himself will take up inspection so as to get a clear picture on the ground level because the safety and security of aged persons and children are a priority of the High Court.

The High Court Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Raghavendra Singh Chauhan and Justice Bollam Vijaysen Reddy on Monday heard public interest litigation arising out of the report submitted by the Member Secretary, TS Legal Service Authority which inspected old age homes located in Hyderabad, Secunderabad and Rangareddy and was rather shocked after it read the contents of the report which highlighted the pathetic and deplorable conditions and circumstances under which these old aged people were leading their lives.

Old age people at the fag end of their lives are living in cramped rooms, 24 people stuffed in 3 rooms, there is no segregation of beds separately for women and men etc., and adding woes to the existing woes, this lockdown has forced people to get adjusted in the minimum space making them more vulnerable to domestic violence. The Bench directed Advocate General Banda Shivananda Prasad to file a report on behalf of the Secretary, Social Welfare Department and the Prl. Secretary, Women and Child Welfare Department with regard to the condition of these homes, and the number of homes which are registered or non-registered that are functioning within Hyderabad, Secunderabad and Ranga Reddy districts.

The Bench further opined with regard to the fund being released by the government for the maintenance, upkeep and providing basic necessities and infrastructures to the homes, with the number of times these homes have been inspected by the officers of the concerned Department. In case these homes are not being inspected on a monthly basis, the reasons as to why the Government is ignoring the plight of the inmates. The Principal Secretaries are further directed to create a helpline or hotline number which should be publicised through electronic and print media and certainly, should be known to the inmates of almost all the homes functioning not only in Secunderabad, Hyderabad and Rangareddy numbering 102 but also all the old age homes functioning in other parts of the State. Complaints received from the hotline should be immediately attended both by the Department and the concerned, the Court added. Moreover, the Principal Secretaries are directed to explore the possibility of seeking the cooperation of the corporate sector under corporate social responsibility (CSR) so that the companies can take up to manage and provide the best infrastructure that can be provided to the elderly inmates keeping in mind their physical and mental needs. For further hearing, the case had been adjourned to June 24.