Panaji : The Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC) has issued notices to three key government departments following a complaint highlighting the state of mental health infrastructure and services in the state.
Acting on a complaint filed by Arturo Carlos D’Souza, a resident of Santa Cruz, the commission led by acting Chairperson Desmond D’Costa and member Pramod V Kamat directed the director of social welfare, the director of department of empowerment of persons with disabilities, and the Director General of Police to appear before it on September 3 at 10.30 am to submit their replies and explanations.
In his complaint submitted on August 22, D’Souza has alleged that the state government has shown insufficient interest towards persons with mental disabilities, particularly highlighting the plight of homeless individuals suffering from mental illness who roam the streets.
The complainant has drawn attention to the overburdened Institute of Psychiatry and Human Behaviour (IPHB) at Bambolim, which the GHRC itself had recently visited.
According to the complaint, the facility is struggling under the weight of excessive patient load due to inadequate mental health establishments across the state and poor financial assistance to NGOs operating in this sector.
Of particular concern is the situation surrounding Street Providence, an NGO running mental health establishments and homes for homeless people. The organisation reportedly announced in newspaper advertisements on July 28 its unwillingness to continue providing free services and expressed intentions to shut down several homes across the state due to financial constraints.
D’Souza has invoked the recent Supreme Court judgment in Sukdeb Saha versus state of Andhra Pradesh, which recognised mental health as an integral component of the fundamental right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution.
The complaint has argued that the current state of affairs violates constitutional rights and demands immediate intervention.
