New Delhi: Delhi High Court has mandated the Delhi Jal Board to conduct a thorough investigation into the water quality at the Asha Kiran shelter home in Rohini. This directive comes in response to the alarming deaths of 14 residents in July alone, raising serious concerns about the living conditions within the facility. The court, led by a bench comprising Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, has expressed deep concern over the deaths, asserting that such a large number of fatalities in a brief period cannot be dismissed as mere coincidence. There are too many deaths in a short span of time. 14 deaths in number. It cannot be a coincidence, the bench stated. In addition to the water quality assessment, the Delhi governments social welfare secretary has been instructed to submit a detailed report on the shelter homes living conditions.Concerns over overcrowdingIn light of the situation, the court has also urged authorities to address the overcrowding issue within the shelter. A cursory glance at the summary shows that all the deaths were because the patients were suffering from TB. Delhi Jal Board is directed to test the quality of water forthwith as well as the condition of water and sewer pipelines and file a report, the bench said. The court emphasized that if overcrowding is confirmed, efforts should be made to relocate some residents to more suitable accommodations.Allegations of negligenceThis tragic incident is not isolated. Reports indicate that 25 individuals have died in the shelter home since February, with 14 deaths occurring in July. These alarming numbers have prompted AAP MLA Kuldeep Kumar to allege negligence at the facility, urging the Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) to take decisive action. Kumar criticized the appointment of an administrator who was previously arrested by the CBI for bribery in 2016 and remained suspended for five years. I want to ask the LG VK Saxena on what basis such a corrupt officer was appointed as the administrator, he questioned.
