3 years on, no scheme for disabled forsaken by kin

Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 8

Over three years have passed since Punjab, Haryana and UT Chandigarh were directed to furnish details of steps taken and a scheme framed for abandoned differently abled persons not involved in any crime, but no action has been taken so far.

Taking note of the inaction, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has set April 27 deadline for the respondents to update the Bench on the progress so far. The developments took place during the hearing of a suo motu case against Punjab and other respondents on rights of prisoners and other related issues.

The Division Bench of Justice Ajay Kumar Mittal and Justice Anupinder Singh Grewal was informed during the course of hearing that the High Court in its order dated January 15, 2015, had sought response from the two states and the Union Territory on certain aspects.

An amicus curiae told the Bench that one of the queries was on steps taken and scheme framed for differently abled persons not involved in any crime and yet suffering harassment, neglect and deprivation at the hands of their family, or seen roaming about in public places without anyone taking responsibility of their care. The Bench was also told that action was still required to be taken. The counsel for the respondents, in turn, prayed for time to apprise the court about the steps taken by the authorities concerned in the matter.

The High Court, on a previous date of hearing, had initiated suo motu proceedings for coming out with appropriate directions on issues hovering around the rights of undertrial prisoners, especially women, children and differently abled undertrials and convicts.

The proceedings were initiated on a reference received from the Supreme Court. Registering the matter as “Court on its own motion” case, the High Court had also directed the Member Secretaries of the Legal Services Authorities of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh to furnish reports submitted by them to the apex court.

The Bench, on a previous date of hearing, had sought information from Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh on convicts in custody after completion of sentence. The counsel for Haryana and UT claimed that none of the convicts were in custody after sentence completion. However, the Punjab state counsel at that time stated that about 38 foreign prisoners were confined in transit camps, though they had completed their sentence. They could not be repatriated to their respective countries.