Chennai: Treating a letter from a senior citizen a suo motu public interest litigation, the Madras high court has directed the authorities to inspect all senior citizen’s homes/old age homes periodically and steps taken in accordance with law to ensure compliance with rules and regulations and government orders for running of such homes and also to ensure that senior citizens, who are residents of such homes, are not denied the basic amenities of a life of dignity.
The first Bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M.Sundar also directed authorities to file a status report within two weeks and posted to November 20, further hearing of the case. The bench also directed authorities to treat the letter of Sangemeswaran Krishnan as a representation and shall inspect the senior citizen’s home in question (known as Pyramid Complex in Coimbatore) to ascertain whether rules, regulations and government orders with regard to running of senior citizen’s home and/or old age homes are being complied with.
The bench said in the said letter addressed to the Chief Justice by Sangameswaran Krishnan, it was alleged that misled by assurances given by promoters in a brochure brought out by them, of a life of dignity with food, 24 hour medical care, security, religious and recreational activities and company of persons of the same age group, the petitioner along with his wife and his mother-in-law, moved into the aforesaid senior citizen’s home after execution of a long term lease of 20 years.
According to Sangameswaran, he had to pay Rs 13 lakh by way of interest free security deposit. It appears that the senior citizen’s home has been set up by Dhyanaprastha Foundation, a registered public charitable society, promoted by A.V.Ramaswamy. Dhayanaprastha Foundation also promoted a project known as “Vanaprastha”. On a perusal of the letter and reading between the lines, it appears that it was the grievance of the petitioner that the promoters have not kept their commitments. In contravention of government orders, they were not providing the residents with adequate nutritious food, medical care etc., as promised. He contended that the Director of Social Welfare has a duty to implement government orders for the care of senior citizen. “The director of social welfare, the district collector, Coimbatore, the district social welfare officer, Coimbatore, and the principal secretary, social welfare and nutritious meal programme department are impleaded as Respondents. Government Pleader (in-charge) accepts notice for them. Dhyanaprastha Foundation is also impleaded as respondent. Notice to the said respondent”, the bench added.
