Govt rejects claims of old age home owner, says gave water

Disputing the claims of the Rangpuri Pahari old age home owner, the Delhi government today said that water scarcity could not be the reason behind the deaths of several inmates as the facility is provided with regular water tankers.
However, the government is likely to clear owner Ravi Kalra's application for water boring at a new site saying there was no reason not to do so.
"A 60,000 litre capacity DJB tanker used to go to the home everyday but the thing is it did not have storage capacity of more than 1,000 litre," an official said.
Kalra said that media attention following the deaths had done him good as Aam Aadmi Party had provided him with 6 new water tanks of 1,000 litre capacity each.

"I had a meeting with top government officials including officers from the Delhi Jal Board, MCD. I expect to get permission for a bore well soon. Water tankers have also started coming," he said.
Taking cognisance of the reported deaths of the inmates, Delhi government has tasked its Social Welfare Department with preparing a report on the home.

"It is further clarified that the said Home is neither registered with the state government nor licensed by it. On receiving the report the Ministry will decide on what action has to be taken," a government spokesperson said.
Reacting to this, Kalra had said, "Now they are saying we are not a registered body but this is where the government, police and the courts send abandoned people."

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia yesterday said Kalra should refuse to accept more inmates for the time being if matters were going beyond the capacity of the home.