Delhi High Court directs city government to inspect Asha Kiran shelter home, test water quality

Addressing the Delhi government, ACJ Manmohan further remarked orally, “Too many deaths in a short span cannot be a coincidence. Get it checked at least.”

The court will take up the matter for further consideration on August 7.

The petition also has the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as a respondent party apart from the Delhi government, Delhi Jal Board, and the social welfare department as other parties.

The petition submitted that “there has been an absolute collapse of the governance in Delhi, as can be seen from the aforesaid incidents,” imploring the court to step in to “save the residents of Delhi from suffering terrible fate due to the incompetence” of the authorities.

Meanwhile, with the petitioner highlighting overcrowding in shelter homes before the bench on Monday, the court also directed the Delhi government that shelter home residents be moved to another shelter home or other appropriate arrangements be made in case shelter homes are found to be overcrowded.

Sources have told The Indian Express a majority of inmates who died at Asha Kiran, which is run by the Social Welfare Department, were aged between 20 and 30, and the cause of death was reported to be various health issues, including lung infections, tuberculosis, and pneumonia as well as nutritional deficiency.