Bhopal: NHRC to inspect, review conditions of the Gwalior Mansik Arogyashala on Tuesday

BHOPAL (Madhya Pradesh): A National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India delegation, led by its Chairperson, Justice Arun Mishra, has scheduled a visit to the Gwalior Mansik Arogyashala, on July 12^th July (Tuesday), to inspect and have firsthand knowledge of the present conditions of the Arogyashala, said the officials on Monday.

The Supreme Court, in the Order dated 11^th November 1997, in response to a PIL, had directed the District Judge to continue the monitoring of the Mental Hospitals in Gwalior, Agra and Ranchi, and give necessary directions from time to time by sending periodic reports to the NHRC.

Accordingly, the NHRC Chairperson requested the Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court to advise the District Judges of Gwalior to monitor the functioning of the mental hospitals and to send quarterly reports to the NHRC with a copy to the Supreme Court. A similar D.O letter from the NHRC Joint Secretary to the District Judge of Gwalior was issued, wherein the report for the quarter ending 31^st March 2022 was requested to be submitted to the Commission latest by 20^th April 2022.

An inspection report received from the District Judge, Gwalior in this regard highlighted shortcomings and difficulties in the functioning of the hospital, including lack of funds, shortage of staff, poor infrastructure, poor accommodation, difficulty in locating the family members of cured patients, and difficulty in repatriation.

The delegation will also consist of NHRC Members, Justice MM Kumar and Rajiv Jain, Secretary General Devendra Kumar Singh, and Joint Secretary Harish Chandra Chaudhary.