Two shelters identified for poor pregnant women in Delhi
January 19th, 2011 - 10:17 pm ICT by IANSNew Delhi, Jan 19 (IANS) The Delhi government Wednesday told the Delhi High Court that it has identified two exclusive shelters for destitute pregnant and lactating women. The court had directed the government last week to provide the facility within a week after a woman delivered a baby on a pavement last year.
Appearing before the division bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Sanjiv Khanna, government’s standing counsel Najmi Waziri said the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board that two community centres - one in Kalkaji in south Delhi and another in Jahangirpuri in north Delhi - have been identified to serve as shelters for destitute pregnant women.
The government would take some time to provide infrastructure in the homes, the lawyer said adding that two NGOs, All India Womens’ Conference and the Young Women’s Christian Association, have been asked draw up the criteria to admit women and the period for their stay in these homes.
He said the government has taken the decision in consultation with Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board and the Department of Women and Child Development.
Responding to the submissions, the bench directed the government to either appoint a person or agency to co-ordinate between the two homes.
The direction on exclusive homes for pregnant and lactating women came following a report filed by a lawyer appointed by the court.
The report said the existing shelter homes did not get any fund from the government and no home had been earmarked by it to take care of destitute pregnant women.
The court earlier initiated action on the basis of the newspaper reports that a woman died on the pavement after giving birth to a child last year.
On July 26, 2010, a woman lying on a footpath at Shankar Market in the busy commercial hub of Connaught Place in New Delhi gave birth to a baby girl. The woman died four days later. The baby was rescued by a garment shop owner in the market.
With the intervention of the court, the child is in the custody of an NGO.
The court expressed concern over the incident taking place despite various welfare schemes of the government.
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Tags: baby girl, chief justice, child development, commercial hub, community centres, connaught place, delhi government, delhi high court, dipak, division bench, footpath, giving birth, kalkaji, lactating women, misra, newspaper reports, north delhi, pregnant women, sanjiv, south delhi