HC directs govts to frame policy for autistic children in 7 days

New Delhi, Dec 12 (UNI) Expressing anguish over the plight of autistic children because of apathy of authorities, the Delhi High Court today directed the Director General of Health Services(DGHS) to convene a meeting of the head of the nodal departments within two days to frame a policy.

A division bench headed by Justice Swatanter Kumar asked the Central and State governments to frame the guidelines and file a status report by December 18.

The policy should be executed for the betterment of the autistic children by January 25, said the court.

Principal Secretaries of Social Welfare and Health of Delhi and Chairman of the Trust looking after the disabled children were present in the court during the hearing.

''No guidelines had been framed dispite legislation had been enacted in 1995 and 1999,'' said the court.

When the Counsel appearing for the government submitted it to conduct the survey, it would take two years, the Court asked what were the authorities doing for the past seven years? A PIL was filed in 2003 seeking directions to the authorities to recognise autism as a disability and other facilities to establish the autistic children in the society.

UNI PAT BDP VV1802