The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)
Shelter reels under ‘ severe staff crunch’ despite overcrowding
HALF A dozen doctors, 17 nurses, 50 auxiliary nurses, and midwife ( ANM) professionals have been tending to an estimated 1,000 inmates at the Delhi governmentrun Asha Kiran Home, a shelter for intellectually challenged, which has reported at least 25 deaths so far this year, said government sources. Of these, 14 inmates died in July.
Even as the National Human Rights Commission ( NHRC) took suo motu cognisance of the matter on Saturday, demanding a report on the deaths within four weeks, the Aam Aadmi Party ( AAP)- led Delhi government and Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena’s office sparred over the appointment of a 2012- batch Dadra and Nagar Haveli ( Civil) Services ( DANICS) officer, who remained under suspension for five years after being convicted in an bribery case in 2016, as the ‘ Administrator’ of the facility after his return to the service.
Reeling under a “severe staff crunch” despite gradual overcrowding over the years, government sources, quoting the initial findings of a probe into the deaths, said there were glaring discrepancies in the sanctioned, and actual staff strength at the Rohini- based facility. “In the year 2013, following the then- Lieutenant Governor's order, posts for 10 doctors, 249 nurses, and 62 ANMS were created at the facility. However, currently, there are only six doctors, 17 nursing staff, and 50 ANMS to take care of 1,000 inmates. The posts for multiple medical staff have also been lying vacant,” the official said. The shelter could accommodate around 400 inmates, as per officials.
Both Delhi L- G VK Saxena and Revenue Minister Atishi had, after reports of deaths at the facility surfaced, on Friday, questioned the quality of caregiving and issues related to the nutritional needs of the inmates at the facility in separate sets of instructions.
On Saturday, senior AAP leader and Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj accused Saxena of failing to suspend key officials at Asha Kiran despite “serious corruption allegations,” adding that ‘ services’ were under the domain of the LG’s Office.
He also alleged that the Delhi Legislative Assembly’s Petition Committee composed of selected AAP MLAS had attempted to conduct a probe into the incident but was “blocked by the Administration” which had been “neglecting the residents' basic needs” so far. L- G House officials contended that Social Welfare, which had control over the facility, was a “totally transferred subject” under the minister concerned as well as the Delhi Chief Minister.
"Almost all the people living in this shelter are intellectually challenged… and often suffer from diseases… they are not able to take full care of their food and drink… in such a situation, it is very important that whoever is appointed here to take care of them, should have a spirit of service,” he said. “What were the thoughts of the L- G in giving the responsibility of this centre to the current administrator… He is the same Rahul Agarwal who was arrested in 2016 in a bribery case… I want to ask L- G sahab - On what basis did you give the responsibility of its administration to this corrupt officer?” he asked.
Reacting to Bharadwaj’s claim, officials at L- G House said the administrator of the Asha Kiran Home was “appointed internally” by the Social Welfare Department which is “a fully and totally transferred subject” under the control of the CM and Minister.
“He was not appointed by LG. He was of course posted to the Social Welfare Department being a DANICS officer on 15.02.2021, after approval of the then L- G. Thereafter, the Minister posted him as Administrator… The press statement issued by AAP is blatantly wrong and arrogantly misleading,” officials said.
Hitting back, Bharadwaj accused the L- G’s office of lying. “The L- G office is lying. All transfers and postings are done by LG or Officers under LG. No such file comes to Ministers. LG office should show the file where the Administrator of Asha Kiran shelter home was appointed by the Minister.”
In response to this, L- G House officials said the Social Welfare Department did not have a Minister ever since Raj Kumar Anand, who has since joined the BJP, resigned. “CM Arvind Kejriwal even when out on bail, found time to accept his resignation and forward it to LG, but did not deem it to appoint a new Minister, in a sensitive department that more than any other requires political oversight. And Saurabh Bharadwaj has the shameful audacity to talk of accountability?” officials asked.