Madras HC orders providing basic facilities in old age homes

The Madras High Court on Tuesday directed the Tamil Nadu Government to inspect all old age homes in the state and file a report after a PIL alleged that senior citizens had been taken for a ride by retirement homes in Coimbatore.

A division bench of justices Vineet Kothari and CV Karthikeyan gave the interim order on the public interest litigation which sought implementation of the November 23, 2016 government order related to running of old age homes in letter and spirit.

The PIL filed by an inmate of a retirement home "Tapovan" in Coimbatore alleged that the promoters charged exorbitant fee but did not provide minimum standards of facility as had been prescribed in the government order.

The petitioner said several real estate promoters offered such homes on lease and sale basis in Coimbatore with attractive assurances to draw former government and public sector employees.

After the PIL was filed, similar alleged deficiencies in two other retirement homes, 'Nana Nani Home' and 'Dhyanaprastha Foundation', in Coimbatore came to the knowledge of the court.

When the petition came up for hearing on Tuesday, state Social Welfare and Nutritious Meal Programme Department Seretary K Manivasan filed a status report in compliance with an earlier order of the court.

The report said the registration of Tapovan had been cancelled after deficiencies and certain violations were noted.

It also gave the number of government approved homes district wise.

The bench in its order said, "It seems the three old age homes in the city itself are facing difficulties and inmates of those old age homes appear to be facing quite a great amount of discomfort."