Inmates of kushth ashram left homeless

Our Correspondent

Una, September 22

As many as 22 families, whose members were once the victims of leprosy disease and were living at the kushth ashram, are suddenly rendered homeless. The illegal buildings, in which they were living, belonged to the Railways and it was demolished last evening by the authorities on the orders of the Himachal Pradesh High Court.

While the demolition continued today, activists from various social organisations reached out to the affected families. The kushth ashram had been supported by various local organisations over the past 20 years and they had been getting grants for various development activities from the successive MPs, MLAs and from the district administration.

Consequently, brick masonry houses, community halls, kitchens, water systems and a temple had come up at the site, which was within the railway land and in close proximity to the Nangal to Una rail line. Most of the families belong from outside the state.

The affected families today met Deputy Commissioner Vikas Labroo, who promised to look into the issue. The activists of social organisations have demanded a government land be given to the affected families to re-locate them. Makeshift thatched hutments have been constructed for the families on a temporary basis.