Indira Holiday Home in Sector 24, Chandigarh. File The Chandigarh Administration on Thursday allotted CHB flats Maloya as short-term solution for a group home for the mentally disadvantaged, a decision that left several parents, kin and caregivers upset. The proposal was previously rejected by caregivers, three years ago, when the same option was provided to them by the then Adviser, stating that the flats are unsuitable for a group home.
Banwarilal Purohit, UT Administrator, visited Indira Holiday Home, Sector 24, Chandigarh along with UT Adviser and members of the Executive Committee to review the infrastructure and facilities available there, on Thursday. He then directed that the16 flats in CHB Maloya be allotted as a temporary group home.
A statement by the Chandigarh Administration said, βThe Administrator also discussed the pending request of several parents regarding setting up of Group Home for mentally ill persons of UT, Chandigarh in Indira Holiday Home with the officers present. He directed that a permanent Group Home for mentally ill persons should be constructed at the plot measuring 1.25 Acre in Sector 34, Chandigarh that is already earmarked for Setting up of Senior Citizen Home, for which foundation stone is to be laid within two months. Administrator further directed that, keeping in view the immediate need for Group Home as requested by several parents of mentally ill persons, a Block of 16 CHB flats at Maloya shall be provided for setting up a Group Home for mentally ill persons of UT, Chandigarh by the Chandigarh Housing Board.β
It was said that this block of 16 flats shall be made as a separate enclosure and handed over for setting up of the group home under the provisions of The Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 and the Administration shall provide all medical/health facilities by engaging medical and para-medical staff including doctors, nurses, counsellors, social workers, etc.
Caregivers, however, were not happy with the decision. βIn a meeting of UT officials in 2019, the suggestion had come up but was rejected. It was mentioned that the Maloya flats were suitable for individual families but utterly unsuitable for running a group home. It was unanimously rejected by all parents and mental health professionals and was recorded in the official minutes of the meeting in July, 2019,β a parent said.
During the visit
During the visit, it was said that the Administrator took a round of the premises of Holiday Home Society and enquired about the total bed capacity including the rooms and dormitories. He also inspected the Toy Train which was gifted to the by the Indian Railways in 1966. He was apprised that the Toy Train was in running condition until 2006. The Administrator directed that the matter be taken up to restart the Toy Train with the railway authorities for the entertainment of children.
The Administrator also interacted with the senior citizens at the Holiday Home.
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