GURUGRAM:
Fifty-five people were rescued from a private de-addiction centre near Sheetla Mata Mandir on Sector-5 Road after a raid was conducted by district health department officials.
Health department officials said the centre was found violating norms and was allegedly being run without a qualified doctor or a nurse. Further, the centre did not have a license and was also in a poor state. During the raid, the officials found that the centre had only 19 beds for the 55 patients who were admitted, forcing many of them to sleep on the floor.
“The centre had cramped sleeping corner with hardly any space in between patients. There was no proper ventilation, no space for cooking, and no provision for drinking water. Only four toilets and four bathrooms were provided for the patients,” said Amandeep Chauhan, district drug control officer.
Chauhan added that during the raid, it was found that the in-charge of the de-addiction centre was a Class 9 dropout and did not have the required medical qualifications. Further, the centre had no staff nurse employed, no ward attendant, no security personnel and no helper. As per the Haryana de-addiction centre rules, 2010, two counsellors with an MPhil or an MA degree in psychology, sociology or social work are required to be provided, along with nurses and helpers.
The centre’s in-charge, Sudhir, who is identified only by his first name, was arrested on Thursday night and produced in the district court on Friday. Meanwhile, the owner of the centre is on the run, the police said. “The accused has been booked under Section 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. We are questioning the accused about his accomplices,” said Narender Kumar, station house officer (SHO), Sector 5.
Health department officials also said that the centre had no recreational facilities, which are mandatory under the de-addiction centre rules.
The team confiscated five types of drugs from the centre, the licenses for which were not found with the in-charge of the centre. The drugs were sealed in envelopes and were handed over to the Gurugram police for chemical analysis, said health department officials.
Kartar Chand, whose nephew was admitted at the centre in July for alcohol addiction, said that the patients at the centre were forced to do menial tasks and were constantly threatened, if they objected.
“My nephew was referred by a doctor, when he had started showing signs of alcoholism after his father’s death. He was made to sleep on the floor, clean the toilets and utensils. He was also made to sit in the same position all day,” Chand said.
