Shimla, June 5 (IANS) The Himachal Pradesh High Court on Friday asked the state government to provide allowance, food and vocational training to all inmates of a state-run old age home near Shimla.

Taking cognisance of a letter written by Shimla-based NGO Umang Foundation’s honorary chairman Ajai Srivastava, a division bench of Justice Rajiv Sharma and Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan observed that the 17 inmates of the old age home have a right to life under Article 21 of the constitution.

A separate home should be constructed for adult disabled, destitute and mentally retarded, both males and females, within one year, said the bench.

It directed the state principal secretary (social justice) to release funds for the construction of a separate home for the disabled, destitute and mentally retarded within eight weeks.

“They are required to be provided with disability relief allowance, old age pension, clothes, nutritive food and vocational training. The basic amenities are required to be provided by the state to all the inmates lodged in the state home without any discrimination and segregation,” said the judges.

The court, which reserved the judgment on May 11, also awarded Rs.100,000 as costs to Umang Foundation, saying the amount would be used for the welfare of the disabled.