GUWAHATI, May 31 � The Human Rights Law Network (HRLN) has expressed the hope that the mentally ill destitutes roaming on the streets would get security now with the Assam Human Rights Commission directing the Government of Assam as well as the Director General of Police, Assam to take immediate and necessary action for adequate and effective implementation of Section 23 and other provisions of the Mental Health Act, 1987 by August this year.
The HRLN since long has been insisting on the authorities concerned to implement the provisions of the Mental Health Act.
�It is very unfortunate that the provisions of the Act have been violated by the officer-in-charge of various police stations. We are hopeful that with the Assam Human Rights Commission directing all the parties concerned to implement the Act, the mentally ill destitutes will get security,� said Pabitra Hazarika of HRLN.
It needs to be mentioned here that Pabitra Hazarika and J P Gogoi, Disability Law unit Shishu Sharathi, had filed one complaint a couple of years back before the Director General of Police, Assam, in regards to the violation of Section 23 and other provisions of the Mental Health Act.
The same complaint was also placed before the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and Assam Human Rights Commission (ASHRC).
�Under Section 23 of The Mental Health Act, 1987, every officer-in-charge of a police station has been vested with the statutory duty to take such destitute mentally ill persons into protective custody and follow consequent procedures laid down under Section 25 of the Mental Health Act, 1987,� said Hazarika, adding that issues in relation to the protection, care, treatment etc, for mentally ill persons particularly the destitutes, are totally inadequate and the authorities concerned are totally unaware of their statutory duties and responsibilities.
