Thaindian News

By Kanu Sarda
New Delhi, Oct 25 (IANS) Taking note of the shocking saga of former model Gitanjali Nagpal, who was found begging on the streets of the capital, the government is soon going to have mobile health vans for mentally ill people found abandoned on the streets.

The Delhi government along with the Institute for Behavioural Health Studies and Applied Sciences (IBHAS) under the Urban Mental Health Module informed the Delhi High Court earlier this week that they have already got the sanction for five such mobile vans.

“We have got the necessary permission from the central government for the mobile health vans along with the team of specialised doctors for the five districts,” advocate Zubeda Begum told a division bench consisting of Chief Justice Ajit Prakash Shah and Justice S. Muralidhar.

The bench was hearing a public interest petition from a Delhi University law student, Pratibha Chopra, drawing the court’s attention towards the plight of mentally ill people in the capital.

The petitioner referred to the case of Nagpal and said there are more than 2,500 women in Delhi who are mentally ill and are not receiving any aid from the government which has led to their exploitation.

Nagpal, 32, who once walked the ramp for top designers, was last year found begging at a market in south Delhi. The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) took her to VIMHANS hospital, where doctors diagnosed her as suffering from fear psychosis.

However, the bench was surprised by the centre’s order sanctioning only five mobile health vans. “It is pointed out that under the scheme of urban mental health module, nine mobile vans were required for the nine districts across the capital but the government has agreed to start only five which is contrary to our orders.

“So the government must explain as to why our orders were not complied with by Nov 18,” the judges said.

Last year the court directed the government to create separate wards for mentally ill women, especially the homeless, in the state government-run Nirmal Chhaya shelter homes.

A specialised ward will have a team of a psychiatrist along with medical staff and all necessary facilities for the rehabilitation of the mentally ill.

The court in a separate case last year also ordered the Reserve Bank Of India to formulate guidelines for opening bank accounts for mentally ill children so that they don’t feel left out of society.

(Kanu Sarda can be contacted at kanu.s@ians.in)