Inspect leprosy home, HC tells Shimla DC

Vijay Arora

Shimla, January 7

The HP High Court today directed the Shimla Deputy Commissioner to inspect the leprosy home situated at Leprosy Colony, Phagli, and ensure necessary repair work there within four weeks.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Mohammad Rafiq and Justice Jyotsna Rewal Dua passed the order on a petition filed by Neeraj Shashwat, who alleged therein that a building allotted to leprosy patients at Phagli in Shimla by the government almost a decade ago was in a shambles.

The petitioner alleged that since then the government had not undertaken maintenance work in the building. He stated that the leprosy patients had no toilets, no proper water facility, electric fittings were dangling dangerously, and windows and doors were broken. Moreover, the sewerage was leaking and as a result, patients had to go out in the open to ease themselves.

He alleged that he had taken up the matter with various authorities but none of them showed interest in improving the condition of the patients. The winter had already set in and snowfall would aggravate the their plight. The petitioner requested the court for directions to the state to provide and maintain the basic amenities in the Leprosy Colony with immediate effect. While passing the aforesaid order, the court listed the matter for compliance of its order on March 7.