‘Home for differently-abled overcrowded’

Delhi government is planning to move mentally challenged children from the Ashakiran complex to other homes it runs that are fully state-controlled.

Delhi government is planning to move mentally challenged children from the Ashakiran complex to other homes it runs that are fully state-controlled.

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Delhi chief secretary Rakesh Mehta said on Tuesday that an official report on the death of children from various reasons at the Ashakiran complex had suggested that they be immediately shifted to less crowded facilities.

“Ashakiran is overcrowded. It has twice the number of kids than its capacity,” Mehta said.

“The capacity is only for about 300 children, while more than 750 are lodged there. There are some locations at Mall Road where space is available.”

The report, prepared by the Delhi Social Welfare secretary, also suggested that full-time doctors be appointed for round-the-clock care of inmates. “There are doctors at the Ashakiran complex home, but they are not on a full-time basis at present," said Mehta.

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit had admitted on Monday the government had failed in ensuring that the Ashakiran inmates were looked after properly.

Dikshit had also said the government was looking at an alternative to the private-public partnership model for running such critical facilities.