i. The State government shall take steps to inspect all old age homes within the State and ensure implementation of the spirit of the GO, which has now been upheld.
ii. After inspection, the State government may issue directives to be complied with, and deficiencies, if any, to be rectified by the old age homes/retirement homes in order to comply with the spirit of the Government Order as well as the orders passed herein. The State government shall take steps to monitor the day-to-day functioning of the homes, with more focus on nutrition, hygiene and medical needs of inmates, such as food, round the clock security, clean drinking water, ambulance services, medical care, amusement and entertainment, religious activities, etc., to suit their needs.
iii. The non-compliance with the directives/non-rectification of the deficiencies as pointed out, must entail civil consequences for the retirement homes/old age homes, including cancellation of registration.
iv. The State government must ensure that every old age home/retirement home within the State is registered with it and the government must maintain records of its inmates as well as the persons involved in the management.
v. The State government must ensure that non-registered homes do not continue to function within the State, and must act on any complaint by any person in this regard, after necessary inspection.
vi. The State government must maintain a grievance cell for senior citizens, while ensuring compliance of the Government Order, now being upheld. (The term “State government” employed in the above guidelines shall include any authorized representative or officer of the government).
vii. It is only appropriate that the substance of the executive order may be well made part of a legislation either independently or as an addition to the existing legislation on the subject with more clarity in order that no further time is wasted on debating the validity and applicability of the welfare measures to senior citizens and old age homes/retirement homes, etc. on a universal scale.
Source: Barandbench
