Bal Adalat has big issues at hand

Aarti Kapur

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 5

“Sir, can you please arrange a towel for me as for the past eight months, I have been using a bed sheet as a towel. A number of requests were made to the attendant to issue me one, but to no avail.” This was the first complaint received by the Bal Adalat during its first hearing at Snehalaya in Maloya today. The complaint was received from a Class VII student, an inmate of Snehalaya.

In his one-page complaint addressed to Vishal, president of the Bal Adalat, he highlighted several problems being faced by him as well as his friends for a long time.

Hopeful of getting the towel issue resolved now, he said, “Vishal bhai will definitely fulfil our demands as we have elected him for this purpose.”

In March 2015, when new almirahs were issued to all inmates, an assurance was given that lockers would be provided in these, but that never happened. In the absence of the lockers, thefts are often reported by inmates.

His complaint did not end here. He said, “For the past four months, each time my friend wants to go to the washroom, I have to accompany him because there are no doors in the washroom. Can you ask the authorities to install doors in the toilets?”  

During the hearing, he also pointed out that the television set in his block had not been repaired for the past over five months.

“Why is only poha served as breakfast at Snehalaya?” he asked.

Alleging official apathy, he said most windowpanes in rooms of his block were broken due to which it was difficult for them to sleep in their rooms in winter. In summer too, they faced a lot of difficult as most fans were not working.

Responding to the complaint, Vishal said he knew about most of these problems, and each time they raised these issues at the individual level with the authorities, nothing came out. He said the adalat would now take up these issues with the authorities to get them resolved.

Another inmate, a student of Class VIII, wanted to know why non-veg food was not served on the premises and why the inmates had not been given track suits for winter. “For the past seven months, the barber has not visited Snehalaya,” said the complainant. 

Yet another inmate, a student of Class X, suggested that differently abled inmates residing on the premises should be shifted to a special home for better care.