Team Herald
VASCO: The members of Goa Citizens Welfare Trust (GCWT) have threatened to hold an indefinite hunger strike if the Institute of Public Assistance, that manages 12 Provedorias across Goa, fails to give them permission to visit these orphanages within eight days time.
Addressing a press conference in Vasco on Tuesday, GCWT chairman Michael Ferns claimed that they have confirmed information supported with facts that children and senior citizens lodged at 12 orphanages managed by state Provedoria are living under inhuman conditions. Despite all efforts by GCWT members, the officials managing the affairs at the Provedoria have been denying permission to the GCWT members for fear of being exposed on the brutality taking place inside these centres.
He said, “As we have been unofficially banned to enter these Provedorias, we conducted several sting operations and found that from buildings to facilities offered to the inmates, everything is in a mess. While the beds are infected with bugs, the food served to them is not only insufficient but lacks nutrition values. Same is with the drinking water or toilet facilities,” he alleged.
Another member of GCWT, Parshuram Shetye claimed that “through RTI, we have obtained the financial records from Institute of Public Assistance (IPA) managing affairs of Provedoria and it was surprising to note that in the financial year 2014-15, the state government had released about Rs 11.50 crore as grants to IPA. Of the total grants 35 per cent was used for maintenance while remaining was used on staff for salaries, pensions, gratuity payments, leave travel concessions, etc,” he said.
Shetye further issued eight days ultimatum to the IPA authorities to allow the GCWT members to visit these 12 state-run Provedorias failing which they would hold indefinite hunger strike before the office of IPA.
