The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) has issued a notice to the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) over "serious lapses" being found in a shelter home for mentally challenged women in Subzi Mandi area here.
A notice has also been issued to the Delhi Police over the rape of an inmate and a former staffer of the shelter home.
DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal and some members of the panel visited the shelter home being run by NGO 'Ashray Adhikar Abhiyan'.
The Commission found that the shelter housed nine mentally challenged women and girls, the DCW said.
"It was seen that no restoration efforts were being undertaken by the shelter for the women, some of whom had been living in the shelter since 2014. It was found that proper case files were not maintained and there were no file notings or official records in any of the files," it said.
The DCW also found that no steps were taken to initiate police action in the cases involving inmates.
The panel also said that proper health records of inmates were not being maintained even though all of them were prescribed medicines by the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS).
The Commission also observed that the shelter was being run by untrained staff and no SoPs were there to deal with the women and any emergencies arising at any time. It also found that the facility had no guard during the day.
"When the commission entered the shelter at 6 pm, there was no one at the gate and no visitor registers were being maintained," it said.
The Commission also noted lack of training or recreational activities for the residents who remained inside throughout the day.
A former staffer of the home also told DCW that she and a 25-year-old resident of the shelter were raped by two men. The Delhi Police has registered an FIR in the matter and is investigating the allegations. However, no arrests have been made till now, the staffer alleged.
The Commission has issued a notice to the DUSIB seeking a detailed action taken report on its observations.
The Commission has asked the DUSIB to provide file noting of the decisions under which this shelter home for mentally challenged persons was set up along with SoPs. It has sought copies of reports of inspections conducted by DUSIB officials of this shelter.
It has also asked for details of action taken against officials and NGO in the matter.
The Commission has also issued a notice to the Delhi Police seeking urgent arrests in the matter along with protection for the survivors. The authorities have been given time till 4 p.m. on March 28 for submission of the replies.
