Maha told to improve conditions at Shirur''s facility for

mentally-challenged

Mumbai, Jan 17 (PTI) The Bombay High Court todaydirected the Maharashtra government to take a final decisionon the implementation of their compliance report regardingdeficiencies in the home for mentally challenged girls inShirur in Pune district by February 8.

The court had taken suo moto action in 1997 against thelack of facilities in the institution and had asked theDistrict Judge of Pune to inspect the home and submit areport.

Deputy Secretary of Women and Child Welfare departmenttoday submitted a compliance report detailing all those stepstaken by the government towards improving the institution.

Asked when these steps would be implemented, additionalpublic prosecutor Madhavi Mhatre told the court a finaldecision would be taken only after a meeting is heldwith officials from other state departments.

Mhatre informed the court that out of the admissiblegrant of Rs 21.7 lakh, Rs 10.25 lakh has been released by thegovernment in August, 2010 for the institution. She also saidthat a psychiatrist and medical officer will be visiting thehome once every fortnight.

Amicus curie (friend of the court) Sagar Kotwal arguedthat the government should use the entire grant and it shouldbe released in portions periodically. "Workers in the homehave to work without salary for six months as the aid is notreleased by the government," Kotwal said.

The court has directed the government to frame aschedule seeing to it that money is available throughout theyear.