BARWANI: Action has been initiated against operators of an old age home in Barwani for ‘hiring’ women inmates to stay in the facility to get the grant.
Barwani SDM Ghanshyam Dhangar said that on Friday, a joint team conducted surprise inspection of ‘Vrindavan Maa Vriddha Ashram’ operated by Ujjwal Medical Foundation Kapadna (Maharashtra) in Navalpura, on the outskirts of Barwani.
During inspection, the team found that against the 50 women registered there, only two were in the facility. When the team questioned them, the women revealed that they used to get Rs 100 per day to stay there from 9am to 5pm. SDM said that 9 out of 11 employees allegedly posted in the old age home were also found absent. He said that none of the rules of recognition conditions and operation were found to be followed in the old age ashram.
SDM said that during the inspection conducted in July, 35 women were 'hired’ on wages. Women were forced to say that they reside in the ashram.
He said that this institution, which has been running since 2019, has also received the first installment of a grant of Rs 11.44 lakh from Central Social and Justice Department.
He said that after the panchnama, entire records of the ashram were confiscated and the investigation report was being sent to district collector Shivraj Singh Verma.
He said that the ashram’s director and teacher Shashikant Patil and employee Kamal Gole have been taken to Barwani Kotwali for creating disturbance during the inspection.
Collector Verma said that the team led by the SDM was sent for inspection in accordance with the instructions of the director, Social Justice Department to conduct verification before releasing the second installment to the institution.
