Hyderabad: Winding up of 'Aram Ghar' sparks protest by PwD organizations

Hyderabad: Condemning emphatically the Rangareddy district administration's moves to wind up ARAM GHAR – A home for physically handicapped and specially privileged at Rajendranagar, by shifting all the inmates overnight to different old age homes, the members of various disabled organizations held a protest on Sunday before the main gate of facility demanding withdrawal of the decision.

The government has closed the facility earlier this week and foisted a banner saying "ARAM GHAR Old Age Home, (under the Indian Council of Social Welfare) fails to follow the provisions laid down under Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007. Hence, it is closed."

Holding the placard while protesting before the wound-up facility, the members of disabled unions have echoed voices together against the winding up of the facility and demanded the government reinstates the centre without delay.

"The move to wind up the facility has miraculously planned to allot the sprawling government land to corporate agencies. These efforts were on for several years and were executed today to suit the intentions.

In its pursuit to fill the coffers, the government is not even sparing the facilities meant for disabled people despite the fact that very few of such institutions have left in the outskirts while the city was completely bereft of these centres.

If the facilities are lacking, the government may have arranged it instead of winding up the centre. It is not wise enough to burn down the house to smoke out a rat," said Gorenkala Narsimha, State Honorary President National Platform for Rights of Disabled (NPRD).

"Government has shifted the inmates by accepting that not enough facilities have been provided at the centre putting the health and life of the inmates in jeopardy. If the government was sensitive enough towards the welfare of the disabled people, it would have had provided the required facilities at Aram Ghar Centre to benefit the inmates instead of shifting them to alreadyoverwhelmed old age homes," argued Mahboob Basha, president Rajendranagar Pattana Vikalangula Samakya.

Spreading in a sprawling area of 16.5 acres of government land on a prime location at Aramghar under Rajendranagar, this facilityknown as 'ARAM GHAR' was formed in the year 1962 by an organization led by renowned social activist and former Rajya Sabha Member Roda Mistry to champion the cause of mentally challenged people in the undivided State.

Since then the facility is serving disabled persons especially the mentally retarded people who were disowned by their own families in their senility. However, on June 1st the team of officials from District Rural Development Agency(DRDA), and Disabled Welfare Hyderabad visited the facility and shifted all the 76 inmates to other old age homes without specifying the reason behind the move to wind up the facility in such a haste.

NPRD Rangareddy District President Ashannagari Bhujanga Reddy, General Secretary Jerconi Raju, District Treasurer D Raja Shekar Goud, District Vice President Syed Afroz, CITU Rajendranagar Nagar Circle Secretary Kurmaya besides Mandal leaders like Ghattayya, Mohan, and Shankar took part in Sunday's protest.

Meanwhile, the sources said that the facility was closed after learning about the pathetic state of the centre. "During the official's recent visit, it was found that the private management body appointed by the government was not at all serving properly and terribly failed to maintain the health hygiene in the center thereby putting the life of the inmates at risk.

All the 76 inmates were shifted to three different old age homes that include Good Samaritans Old Age Home Medchal, Home for Disabled Shameerpet and St Alphonsa Karunalayam Budwel," the sources informed.