Reports won’t do,act on Vrindavan widows’ plight: Apex court to govt

“There will be one hundred reports and recommendations but they are worth nothing if they do not give workable solutions. A bureaucratic approach will not help and your (government’s) officers will have to step out of their offices and visit these shelter homes where they are currently lodged. Sending reports to this court will mean nothing if there are no implementation. Some practical approach will have to be adopted,” said a Bench of Justices D K Jain and Madan B Lokur.

Terming as “peculiar and fortunate” the customs in India where people organise langars etc to feed others,the court pointed that there were several people in this country who were willing to help these widows and hence the government’s officials required to look beyond documentation and reports.

“While this is fortunate that we live in a country like India where people insist on feeding others,it is indeed unfortunate that still there are persons without food and dying of hunger,” said the Bench.

The court,which had fixed the matter for passing interim directives,then took on record the suggestions given by the National Legal Services Authority and also the measures to be taken by the state government.

Subsequently,the Bench passed directives for implementation by the UP government. The government has agreed to appoint a doctor and his team to visit the four shelters,currently housing the widows,on a regular basis. The court asked Vrindavan’s Chief Medical Officer to ensure deputing a medical team for their aid. The officer has further been directed to guarantee respectable last rites of these women,many of whom are aged above 80 years and ailing.

During the proceedings,the Bench also pulled up the National Commission for Women and its UP counterpart for their apathy to the pitiable condition of the widows.