Court asks about medicare after baby’s footpath birth
By IANSWednesday, September 1, 2010
NEW DELHI - Taking suo motu cognizance of a destitute woman’s death after giving birth to a baby on a pavement, the Delhi High Court Wednesday questioned the city government on the medical care being provided to the orphan.
The court also sought a report within two weeks on what state government hospitals were doing to provide treatment to the poor and needy.
“Child is the father of the man. He should be given utmost care. It is really perplexing that children have to take birth on the roadside despite so many schemes from the government,” observed the bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Manmohan.
The bench also asked the government to allow Ritu Arthur Frederick, a garment shop owner who rescued the baby girl, to meet the infant three days a week at her foster home in Gole Market.
Frederick should be allowed to visit the baby for 45 minutes thrice a week, the court said.
The baby was born July 26 on the corridor of busy Shankar Market in posh Connaught Place shopping district of New Delhi.
Frederick nursed the baby, named Karishma, within hours of her birth. The baby’s mother died four days later.
Karishma was later shifted to the foster home.
