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| Mentally ill people getting rough deal in Rajouri | | Despite constitutional provisions, Rajouri-Poonch admn as mute spectators | | Early Times Report
Rajouri, Aug 9 : Though Indian constitution and many provisions of law has given mentally ill people the right to live with human dignity, there are hundreds of mentally deranged people in Rajouri and Poonch districts whose condition is not better than animals.
These mentally deranged persons are seen on city roads wandering here and there and eating unhygienic food. Sources said that there is no healthcare for them.
“If Indian laws have guaranteed them dignity, the question arises, why they are being treated like animals and why the government is not taking any initiative to protect these people from discrimination and
disrespect”, Sajjad Tariq, secretary of a Non-Governmental Organisation said raising questions “If these mentally ill people are human beings, why they eat food from the city lane drains. Why they drink unhygienic water?, Why no body is coming forward to think that they are also human beings and they must be protected”.
Though there are certain provisions of law in which mentally ill person deserves the same privileges as enjoyed by any other human being. However, the stigma, residual disability and its intolerance, and more importantly the inability of the mentally ill to protest against exploitation, have all made basic human rights of the mentally ill a major cause of growing concern in these twin border districts.
Mental Health Act, 1987 says that the police have an obligation to take into protective custody a wandering or neglected mentally deranged people mentally ill person and inform his relative and have to produce such person before the local magistrate for issue of reception orders. Sources said that Rajouri police personals seemed enjoying these mentally ill people. Police according to sources has never attempted to take any step to follow this law for the sake of humanity.
Experts said that according to Mental Health Act 1987, there is a provision that the costs of maintenance of mentally ill persons detained as in-patient in any Government Psychiatric hospital or nursing home shall be borne by the State Government concerned unless such costs have been agreed to be borne by the relative or other person on behalf of the mentally ill person and do provision for such maintenance has been made by order of the District Court. Such costs can also be borne out of the estate of the mentally ill person.
But in these twin border districts the situation is contrary to the law. Sources said government has never looked upon the plight of these mentally ill people of these areas nor they have arranged medical treatment for them.
International organizations have also passed much declaration for the rights of these people but no such declaration is being implemented on ground.
Experts said that there is 1971 Declaration on the Rights of Mentally Retarded Persons in which it was declared that mentally retarded persons has to the maximum degrees of feasibility the same rights as other human beings.
“Mentally ill person has a right to perform productive work or to engage in any other meaningful occupation to the fullest possible extent of his capabilities”, experts said.
When contacted, District Mass Media Officer of Health Department Sadiq Khan said that they have already shifted a mentally deranged person to Government Psychiatric hospital Jammu where he is undergoing treatment. “Red Cross Committee of Rajouri also provide financial assistance to him”, he said adding that if there will be more such cases, they are ready to help them.
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