Physical torture of inmates in West Bengal, no medical aid for HIV patients in Odisha and no treatment for mentally challenged women in Uttar Pradesh were some of the key findings by the National Commission for Women during inspections of shelter homes in these states.
The inquiry committee appointed by the National Commission for Women inspected five Swadhar Greh homes in West Bengal, eight in Odisha, eight in Karnataka and five in Uttar Pradesh.
Out of 26 shelter homes, only one was running as per the guidelines of the Swadhar Greh scheme, according to the report submitted to the NCW by the inspection committee. These rehabilitation centres were either funded by the Centre or NGO-run short-stay homes for the sexually abused and destitute.
In Uttar Pradesh, mentally challenged inmates were found living at these homes, but there was no sign of any treatment for them, "who were rolling on the floor at the time of inspection".
In West Bengal, the inmates complained that they are subjected to physical torture by the counsellor of the shelter home.
"Seven of the inmates are mentally challenged women and the Swadhar Greh is like a congested prison. The building, kitchen and rooms are dirty and unhygienic," the National Commission for Women report on the condition of the shelter home in West Bengal said.
In Odisha, one inmate, who arrived there in connection with a trafficking case and had a child, complained to the committee that she was a HIV patient and the NGO was not providing any medication to her. "Though, she wants to go back to her parents, she was forced to stay back in the Greh by the NGO," the report said.
In Karnataka, no psychological counselling being made available to inmates in depression and no sign of vocational training to the inmates were among the key findings of the report. One Swadhar Greh in Karnataka just existed on paper.
"As per the address of the location of the Swadhar Greh given by the state government in the authenticated list, the committee went to inspect the Swadhar Greh located in a posh locality of Bangalore city. But, surprisingly, there is no Swadhar Greh existing in the address and only the board of the organisation was placed and the room was locked," the report said.
NCW Chairperson Rekha Sharma proposed introduction of a system like uploading the up-to-date data of inmates on the website of the Women and Child Development Department.
Sharma also suggested mandatory inspections by district monitoring committees every three months and submitting of reports to the government.
She observed that counsellors in the Swadhar Greh with masters in social work or sociology degrees cannot give any psychological counselling to the inmates, which is very much essential as most of the inmates will be in the condition of distress and anxiety. "Hence counsellors with the qualification of clinical psychology have to be appointed as counsellors," she said.
"Mentally challenged women have to be sent to the mental rehabilitation centre for better care. Old women who are above 60 years have to be sent to old age home," she added.
