Court orders two special shelters for poor, pregnant women
By IANSWednesday, January 12, 2011
NEW DELHI - Expressing shock over a woman delivering a baby on a pavement last year, the Delhi High Court Wednesday directed the Delhi government to provide within a week two exclusive shelters for destitute, pregnant and lactating women.
The division bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Sanjeev Khanna issued the order taking note of the matter on the basis of a note, along with a media report’s clipping, sent by Justice S. Muralidhar.
Justice Muralidhar drew the bench’s attention to the fact that the capital witnessed this shocking incident despite an order by him for taking care of destitute pregnant women and post-natal care of babies.
On July 26, 2010, a woman lying on a footpath at Shankar Market in the busy commercial hub of Connaught Place in New Delhi gave birth to a baby girl. The woman died four days later. The baby was rescued by a garment shop owner in the market.
“It is shameful that the baby stepped into the world on the footpath despite so many welfare schemes for the care of pregnant women and new-born babies in place,” the court said.
“The shelter homes for women should have proper food and lodging facilities,” the court added.
It is the responsibility of other people too, if they see anyone in such a condition they should take them to a place where they can get these facilities, said the bench, adding that the matter will be taken up again Jan 19.
The court said that it was more shocking that this happened in the national capital in full public view.
It is the sacrosanct duty of the government to see that children are looked after properly in hospitals and hospitals cannot deny treatment to any pregnant woman,” the bench said.
The court asked the government to explain why this incident happened and what it had done to see that poor pregnant women give birth to their children under proper medical care and with dignity.
The baby born in Connaught Place is now in a foster home in Gole Market. The court allowed the rescuer of the baby, Arthur Frederick, to meet her on every alternate day. Arthur wants to adopt the baby.
