The Executive Committee of the Holiday Home Society under Chandigarh Administration is exploring Indira Holiday Home and other viable options as a short term arrangement for a group home for the mentally challenged apart from having a special building as a long term solution. Is.
For the past three years, parents, relatives and caregivers of the mentally challenged have been running a campaign in Chandigarh to demand an inclusive housing facility for them.
Parents have been writing for a long time and requesting the administration to allot the residential facility.
The recommendations of the committee constituted under the chairmanship of the Health Secretary were placed before the Executive Committee headed by the Advisor here on Tuesday.
A senior official present in the meeting said, “The issue was discussed where both short-term and long-term options were considered. We will make a short term arrangement until we have a separate exclusive building as a group house. And for that, Indira Holiday Homes, Cheshire Homes and other viable options are being looked at.
“The decision is for the administrator to take. He will also visit the sites. There is an urgent need for a group house and we will make arrangements in the existing buildings till a permanent distinctive building is constructed,” he said.
Sources said that the Town Planning Department has also been asked to recommend vacant land where a building can be constructed for group housing. Administrator Banwarilal Purohit will also visit the sites soon to see the feasibility.
Many parents had requested saying that they are getting old and they are worried about what will happen to their mentally challenged children after them.
For example, in one case a 78-year-old father wrote to the administrator that his elder son was suffering from severe mental illness for the past 22 years and that his younger son lives abroad with his family.
He said that his wife who is 72 years old is covered in blood cancer And he has had three brain surgeries. He said that at this age he has a huge burden of care on his shoulders and he is worried about the future of his son when he and his wife will not be alive.
He also said that many parents/carers have passed away in the last two years as they were requesting for a group home for persons with mental disabilities in Chandigarh.
“Persons with mental disabilities will be on the roads if a good residential facility is not made for them. Therefore we repeatedly request the Chandigarh Administration to set up an inclusive living facility for 50 senior citizens and 50 persons with mental disabilities at Indira Holiday Home, Sector 24, Chandigarh. This will put an end to all our worries,” one of the father’s letters had said.
Secretary, Social Welfare Department, Nitika Pawar had said that the administration had earlier offered several places like the facility in the Chandigarh Housing Board housing area or Cheshire Home, but for a facility at Indira Holiday Home for parents and caregivers. were requesting.
Following the request, a committee under Secretary Health was constituted by the Advisor to look into the matter. The committee had given its recommendations which were placed before the executive committee of the Holiday Home Society (which has an advisory chairman) on Tuesday.