One toothbrush for 49 disabled children in govt homes – When will India treat those less fortunate with dignity?

New Delhi: Ensuring that the less fortunate get to live a life of dignity is an issue that often become a victim of the corrupt practices of officials and seldom gets the attention of those who have the power to change things.

The issue has once again come to the limelight after National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) chairperson Justice H L Dattu came out in the open describing a pitiable sight that he witnessed two years ago as a judge of the Supreme Court.

Justice Dattu was on a visit to a government-aided home for the disabled when he saw 49 children using a single toothbrush and had just one tube of toothpaste.

The Times of India quoted him as saying: “It is not important to say in which state I saw 49 children using one toothbrush as that is the condition in most government-aided or government-run homes housing disabled children, who are the most neglected lot."

Justice Dattu said that while there was no dearth of government funding for homes meant for the elderly and disabled, the issue is pilferage of the money meant for those who need it the most.

Ever since he took over as the head of NHRC, Justice Dattu has been trying to set things right.

The NHRC has written to its special rapporteurs across states to visit homes for senior citizens and disabled children, and give a report on the basic facilities available there.

Here's hoping Justice Dattu and his team at NHRC manages to make a difference to the living conditions in homes for senior citizens and the disabled.