New Delhi: As many as 203 inmates have
died in the last five years at an observation home run by the
NCT government for the mentally challenged.
Social Welfare Minister Mangat Ram Singhal informed
the Assembly today that out of the total deaths at Asha Kiran
observation home, 107 were male and 96 were female inmates.
A spate of deaths was reported at the observation home
in the last few months, prompting the government to announce a
time-bound action plan to ensure proper care and medical
facilities for the inmates.
The home is being run by the Social Welfare
department.
As per the action plan, some of the over 700 inmates
at the Asha Kiran Home would be transferred to three buildings
within next two months to decongest the existing home so that
each mentally challenged inmate gets proper care.
The government also decided to deploy well-equipped
ambulances and upgrade other infrastructure at the home which
witnessed 26 deaths in the last five months.
The minister said that currently a total of 742
inmates were staying in the home against the sanctioned
strength of 350 inmates.
PTI
First Published: Friday, March 19, 2010, 23:33