Despite Punjab CM’s orders, Prabh Aasra awaits justice

Amarjot Kaur

Tribune News Service

Kurali, February 5

Even though the Supreme Court in 2010 had directed all state governments to set up shelter homes for the destitute in cities/towns with a population of 10 lakh or more, in Punjab Prabh Aasra’s dire situation reflects a slip between the cup and the lip.

For over five months now, despite Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh’s orders to settle the sewerage problem and clearing the building’s map within 50 days, adviser of Prabh Aasra Trust Jasbir Singh Bir and presidents Shamsher Singh and Rajinder Kaur have been made to run from pillar to post at the hands of slow-moving government machinery.

At present, Prabh Aasra, located on the Kharar-Kurali road, houses a total of 410 mentally challenged, depressed and abandoned persons, even drug addicts, almost all of whom have been brought here by either the local police or on the recommendation of government-run hospitals, DCs, social security officers and even on reception orders passed by Chief Judicial Magistrates and Sub-Divisional Magistrates.

IAS (retd) Jasbir Singh Bir said: “The map of Prabh Aasra’s Children Home was passed at a cost of Rs 1,43,036 in 2012, but the map of the shelter home’s other building ‘Sewa Niwas’ awaits its fate. The government authorities view this charitable initiative as a ‘commercial building’ and have communicated to us verbally that the map will be passed only if we make a payment of Rs 82 lakh. We run on donations and cannot afford this exorbitant cost.”

Shamsher Singh said: “In December 2007, Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) had ordered to demolish Prabh Aasra in the name of its registered ‘Universal Disabled Care Taker Social Welfare Society’, stating that it is a commercial building. Even after making a payment of Rs 1,43,036 to the Kurali MC, there has been no development. No street lights have been installed and there is no outlet for sewerage so the water flows into the agricultural fields. No one has paid heed to our repeated requests.”

Handing a copy of a letter dated July, written to the Chief Principal Secretary, to this correspondent, where Bir had stated the plight of the shelter home, he rued: “I was told that the Chief Minister had directed Chief Principal Secretary A Venu Prasad to get the issues resolved in 50 days, 

sometime back in August. However, nothing has been done.”

When contacted, A Venu Prasad assured: “We have requested the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority to fix the sewerage outlet and in fact, I spoke to the officials even today. So, Prabh Aasra is on our priority list. Despite that, we are also working on a policy that exempts genuine charitable buildings, especially shelter homes, from fee and taxes.” 

Fact file

At present, Prabh Aasra, located on the Kharar-Kurali road, houses a total of 410 mentally challenged, depressed and abandoned persons, even drug addicts, almost all of whom have been brought here by either the local police or on the recommendation of government-run hospitals, DCs, social security officers and even on reception orders passed by Chief Judicial Magistrates and Sub-Divisional Magistrates.