In a welfare state, dying a slow death on street!
LUCKNOW: Despite hordes of helplines claiming instant help to women in distress, this ‘mentally challenged’ destitute woman, in her late forties, can be spotted lying on a roadside in Lucknow’s posh Gomti Nagar for over a week now.
She looks blighted and has an empty cold drink bottle tied around her waist. She also has a wallet, held tightly in her hand, and some leftover food that some passersby have placed near her. All she has as company are a few stray dogs.
So, what’s stopping the officials concerned and the NGOs from shifting the woman to a shelter home?
“We did call up the Dial-100 service twice and requested the police to take her to some shelter home but it was of no help. The policemen are not aware of any shelter home where the woman can be shifted,” said a woman who lives in a bungalow nearby.
“She appears to be mentally-challenged and is ill. She doesn’t speak and is evidently weak. We fear she would die if left like this,” says Malti, another woman, who lives nearby and has been giving her food all these days.
After failing to get any help from non-governmental organisations, Hindustan Times contacted Renuka Kumar, principal secretary, women and child welfare department.
“It is only a month that we have come up with a shelter home at Mohaan road. It is being run under public-private partnership. The home is being managed by Nirvan Centre. Though the home is mainly for destitute disabled children, 30 beds have been reserved for the disabled destitute women too,” she informs us, while also suggesting to dial woman helpline number 181.
When HT contacted 181 helpline it got connected to the Asha Jyoti Kendra in Lucknow.
“Our centre offers help to victims of domestic violence. There is no provision for mentally challenged women found on streets,” said the representative who attended the call.
SS Dhapola, who runs the Nirvan Centre, also denied any provision of shelter for those above 18 years of age.
“The situation is pathetic. We recently came across a woman with children on the railway station. She was ill and had to be admitted to a hospital. We had to wait all through the night to get her admitted at the King George’s Medical College,” said Shachi Singh, a city-based social worker.
When Hindustan Times tried to talk to the victim, she did not speak but indicated that she was ill and doesn’t want to go home.
“Despite tall claims of India being a welfare state, getting a shelter and medical care for such destitute women is really tough,” said Sangeeta Sharma, a social activist.
Some social workers insist that the demand for a shelter home for those above 18 years of age is long pending.
“But since the state is yet to wake up, such women are left with no choice but to die on the street,” quipped another social worker.