CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court on Monday issued notice to the State Government on a plea to establish a rehabilitation centre or mental asylum for the destitute mentally ill people. The division bench of Chief Justice V Gopalagowda and Justice BN Mohapatra has given the Government two weeks to file its response on the issue. The petitioner, Bishnu Prasad Das of Kendrapara, drew notice of the court to the pitiable conditions that mentally ill people were languishing in. Rejected by both the family and society they were wandering around on the roads and streets almost akin to ‘street dogs’, living off dustbins and sleeping in the open. They were treated with utter disgust by the people and rarely did someone come forward to extend support in way of food and clothes. Das submitted that these people needed treatment as any other people and cannot be left to rot and die on the streets. By depriving them of these, their Right to Life and Health is being violated. The SCB Medical has a Mental Health Institute to provide services to mentally ill people. But it is mainly for psychiatric patients who have active support of the family. The family has to provide two attendants for indoor treatment and the entire burden lies with the family members. “But unfortunately, no facility is available for treatment and rehabilitation of mentally ill who are devoid of any support. Unlike in some other states there is no rehabilitation centre or mental asylum to deal with destitutes,” Das stated. The petitioner has pleaded before the court to direct the Government to set up such a centre in order to protect the Constitutional Rights of such patients and enable them to lead life with dignity.
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