Old Age Home inmates allege maltreatment, stale food

An inmate showing poor quality of food being provided to them at Old Age Home in Udhampur.
An inmate showing poor quality of food being provided to them at Old Age Home in Udhampur.

Excelsior Correspondent
UDHAMPUR, July 14: Inmates of Jagriti Old Age Home in Udhampur today alleged maltreatment and said that that they were being provided stale food by management of the Home.
An elderly inmate, namely Vishal Singh came before media persons and alleged that whenever the inmates make complaint against the food and other things, they were scolded and threatened to remain silent.
“However, enough is enough and now I have complained. Anything can happen to me and they can even kill me,” he told some media persons and demanded high level inquiry into the siphoning of Government funds as well as donations being provided to the Home. “How and where the money is spent, should be investigated?” he added.
Claiming that all inmates in the Old Age Home were being treated badly, but they could not muster courage to speak against the same fearing wrath of the management, Vishal Singh alleged that they were being provided stale food.
” They give us food cooked two or three days earlier and if we don’t eat it, we remain hungry and if eat the same, we fall ill,” he said.
On the condition of anonymity, others inmates, including children and elderly confirmed that these were not allegation but reality and the same had been happening there.
When contacted, Manager of the Old Age Home, Rattan Chand claimed that he never misbehaved with the inmates and as far as poor quality of food was concerned, he would apologize for the same and will take care of it in future.