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An unprecedented 14 mentally ill patients dying in a month in a city’s shelter home, allegedly due to lack of care or resources, has once again exposed the travails of the disabled in accessing health care and the lackadaisical approach of authorities towards the weakest in society.
After the news broke of the deaths at the city government-run Asha Kiran shelter in Rohini, the city government ordered a probe, the high court sought a report on the drinking water supply, the opposition BJP hit the streets, holding the AAP responsible, while the latter accused, the Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena for the lapses.
“The deaths occurred due to health issues and malnutrition and indicated the lack of availability of requisite facilities to the inmates,” Delhi Cabinet Minister Atishi said.
Soon, we will know what led to the deaths. But will their condition improve?
METROPOLIS
Be it education, health or employment, Delhi arguably outshines other metropolises. However, beneath this facade lies the daily struggles of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) and its growing homeless population. According to the estimates, around 4 per cent of the population are born with disabilities, while another 6-7 per cent acquire them later in life. Going by these statistics, at least 10 per cent of the city’s residents, or around 25 lakh people, are those with disabilities. This vast section continues to suffer from systemic neglect and apathy. Despite implementing various policies and schemes, these individuals’ everyday lives paint a stark picture of indifference and inefficiency. One of the most glaring examples is the condition of Delhi’s healthcare facilities. In January 2024, the Delhi government ordered that all public hospitals be accessible to persons with disabilities within three months. This order followed years of delays and non-compliance with the Health Ministry’s 2022 guidelines on accessibility.
Several hospitals, including Maulana Azad Medical College, still lack accessible parking, ramps and lifts, highlighting the gap between policy and practice, where even basic rights to healthcare are often out of reach for those with disabilities.
Asha Kiran, which houses inmates with intellectual and developmental disabilities, has overcrowded wards with little access to outdoor spaces or meaningful activities. The staff shortage, lack of proper training, and negative attitudes towards the inmates exacerbate the already deplorable conditions.
Omesh Saigal, former chief secretary of Delhi, said issues like Asha Kiran show the government’s failure to protect the PwDs rights.
“The government has a comprehensive policy to care for the most vulnerable residents across the city. As part of statutory provisions and social welfare initiatives, it operates various facilities, including Asha Kiran homes, juvenile homes, orphanages, beggars’ shelters, and homes for the deaf, mute, and blind. While juvenile homes are run by legal mandates, other facilities like Asha Kiran are managed as part of the government’s broader social welfare efforts,” Omesh Saigal, former Delhi chief Secretary said.Asha Kiran comes under its Social Welfare Department. The Department is currently without a head following the resignation of minister Raaj Kumar Anand. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is currently lodged in Tihar jail, has not assigned the department’s charge to any Minister.
“For the deplorable state, some hold the vacant position of Social Welfare Minister as a contributing factor. But it’s important to note that the minister’s role is primarily in policy-making. The day-to-day operations are the responsibility of superintendents, welfare officers, and caretakers. With government hospitals and schools linked to these homes, those involved in the daily management must ensure the well-being of residents,” he added.
DAY-TO-DAY STRUGGLE
For PwDs, the struggle continues throughout life. Former State Commissioner for PwDs, Air Commodore Ranjan Mukherjee said schools are among the key institutions of discrimination against disabled children.
“In my three-year tenure, the commission received 5,000 complaints, of which 2,000 were solely against schools refusing admission to PwD children despite the law,” he said.The law for inclusive education mandates that all schools admit children with special needs according to their class strength. However, Mukherjee said many schools deny admissions.
The laws are defied laws as most schools prioritise profit over inclusive education. “Unfortunately, many schools consider education not an instrument to transform but to make money. I had to pass an order for the shutdown of one such school since it did not admit disabled children,” Mukherjee added.
The challenges extend beyond education. In employment, even government institutions need to meet their obligations.
“There is a rule that any advertised vacancy should have a quota for PwDs, even for contractual positions. However, this rule is often ignored. I had to notify the UPSC for not inducting a PwD candidate,” Mukherjee added.
Government Schemes Fall Short
There are thirteen shelter homes, including Asha Kiran, where PwDs are rehabilitated. In January this year, the Delhi government launched the “Sugamya Sahayak Scheme” to provide aids and appliances to persons with benchmark disabilities. The initiative aims to improve mobility and create livelihood opportunities, theoretically empowering individuals. Over a lakh disabled people receive Rs 2,500 in pension every month.
It provides a cost facility for the elderly to stay at old age homes. The government has notified and set up the Maintenance Tribunal and Appellate Tribunal in all eleven districts of Delhi to exercise the powers and discharge the functions conferred under the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007. Under this Act, any senior citizen or parent who is unable to maintain himself or whose children are not maintaining him/her from the elderly’s own earnings or out of property owned will be entitled to make an application against their children for maintenance.
However, the impact of such schemes remains limited, especially when broader infrastructural and attitudinal challenges are not addressed. While these initiatives are steps in the right direction, they cannot counter the deeply rooted systemic neglect. Domain experts suggest that the need of the hour is a fundamental shift in approach—one that prioritises the dignity, rights, and integration of persons with disabilities into the community rather than confining them to institutions or leaving them to navigate an inaccessible world on their own.
“Underemployment schemes for PwDs involve people living in shelter homes being engaged in activities like producing handicrafts. They are sold in the market as well. However, the earning goes to the government kitty. It doesn’t serves the purpose of making this section financially independent. The money they earn can be used for improvement in quality of life they live. They can even think of moving out from the shelter homes where they are forced to spend their lifetime,” Mukherjee said.
Dr Satendra Singh, a disability rights activist and advisor to the State Commissioner for PwDs, said, “With 21 recognised disabilities, we need a fully-fledged Department of Disability Affairs. Many of the empowering provisions remain unimplemented. Statutory bodies, such as the District Level Committee and the State Advisory Board, must convene more frequently. The involvement of people with disabilities is essential to driving meaningful policy reforms.”
HOMELESS
At the peak of the heatwave this summer, a report by the NGO Centre for Holistic Development stated that a total of 192 homeless people died due to heat-related illnesses in Delhi between June 11 and June 19. The report kicked off a major storm regarding the rehabilitation of thousands of homeless in the national capital.
The homeless can be easily be seen clustered under flyovers, along footpaths, or in makeshift shelters with lives marked by uncertainty and vulnerability. They earn their living by begging, street vending, laborering or rickshaw pulling. Most among them are migrants. Several are abandoned elderly and young who fled their homes.
According to 2011 census, over 47,000 people in Delhi were homeless. However, activists argue that this figure is significantly underestimated, claiming that the number of individuals without permanent residences in the city exceeds 2,00,000.
The city’s homeless shelters can accommodate about 20,000 people, leaving tens of thousands on the streets.
According to the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), which runs shelters for the homeless, there are 343 homeless shelters in the city. These include 82 permanent structures (RCC buildings) in existing government buildings, 103 porta cabins made from tin sheets, and 10 shelters constructed under a ‘special drive’. In addition, there are eight shelters run from temporary buildings and 140 tents.
“The situation gets worse every summer. There are only two coolers here for a total of 200-250 people. I have now started thinking that it would be better if I started living out in the open,” Vineet Kumar, who has been living in a homeless shelter in Chandni Chowk for the past 6 years, said.
Similar situation was witnessed across other shelters, where coolers and fans are either inadequate or non-functional, and consistent water supply is a challenge.
Despite growing homeless population, Delhi’s 343 shelters provide just 20,264 beds, far short of the estimated 2,00,000-2,50,000 homeless in the city. The reliance on tin-sheet porta cabins for over half of these shelters worsens conditions, as these structures become unbearably hot. Despite Delhi’s winter shelter provisions, the lack of a summer action plan underscores the city’s failure to address the needs of its most vulnerable during extreme heat.
While the shelters provide a refuge for the homeless during the harsh winter, these are often overcrowded and have unsanitary toilets with no water. Veena Devi, who has been living in a shelter in Sarita Vihar said, “Since the toilets here are unusable, my daughters and I have no choice but to pay and use the nearby public toilets. This can also be dangerous during the night.”
In addition to growing criticism for its lack of action and inadequate management of shelters, DUSIB also came under the fire earlier this year for shutting down several shelters in the midst of a harsh winter. DUSIB officials said six shelter homes accommodating 300 people had to be removed as they were on Delhi Development Authority (DDA) land.The condition of destitute senior citizens in the capital is equally concerning.
The struggles faced by the PwDs and homeless are a glaring indictment of the city’s failure to protect its most vulnerable residents. While the government has made some efforts, these initiatives are often insufficient, hampered by systemic neglect and a lack of proper implementation. What requires a fundamental shift in approach and a commitment to bring a change.
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Asha Kiran shelter home running without a head
Asha Kiran comes under its Social Welfare Department. The shelter home is currently without a head following the resignation of minister and former AAP leader Raaj Kumar Anand. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is currently lodged in Tihar jail, has not assigned the department’s charge to any Minister.
Homeless die of heatstroke
At the peak of the heatwave this summer with maximum touching 50 degrees, a report by the NGO Centre for Holistic Development stated that a total of 192 homeless people died due to heat-related illnesses in Delhi between June 11 and June 19. The report kicked off a major storm regarding the rehabilitation of thousands of homeless in the national capital.