Supreme Court 2017: Widows Of Vrindavan Entitled To Live With Dignity Under Article 21 - Environment And Consumer Protection Foundation. The Supreme Court in Environment And Consumer Protection Foundation vs Union Of India on 11.08.2017 took up plight of widows living in Vrindavan ashrams. Filed as PIL after "White Shadows of Vrindavan" article in Times of India 25.03.2007. The Court held widows are entitled to life with dignity under Article 21. The Court approved Agreed Action Plan and constituted Committee to give working plan. This blog explains the judgment on social justice and rehabilitation.
Facts: "City Of Widows" - Begging And Bhajans For Rs 18. The Supreme Court in Environment And Consumer Protection Foundation vs UOI para 3-4: Article described Vrindavan as "City of Widows". Widows mostly from West Bengal, abandoned after husband's death.The Supreme Court in Environment And Consumer Protection Foundation vs UOI: Life pattern: Sing bhajans in ashrams for Rs 18 per day for 7-8 hours. Rest of time begging on streets. Many too old to look after themselves.The Supreme Court in Environment And Consumer Protection Foundation vs UOI para 1: "Pity that these widows have been so unfortunately dealt with, as if they have ceased to be entitled to live a life of dignity and...protection of Article 21".The Supreme Court in Environment And Consumer Protection Foundation vs UOI: Petition filed by registered society. Letter to DM Mathura yielded no result. So PIL filed under Article 32.In our experience, this is classic PIL - bringing voice to voiceless, socially disadvantaged group.
Directions And Reports: 2008 To 2017. The Supreme Court in Environment And Consumer Protection Foundation vs UOI para 6-7: 14.11.2008: NCW directed to prepare comprehensive report. 01.04.2011: Ministry of WCD impleaded. 09.05.2012: Special Committee for identification and enumeration of destitute widows.The Supreme Court in Environment And Consumer Protection Foundation vs UOI para 8: From 2015, Social Justice Bench took up. 18 reports filed including:NCW Study 2009-10 on Vrindavan widowsNALSA Reports 2012, 2014DLSA Mathura Survey 2012: "Plight of Forsaken Women"Status Reports by State of UP 2016Report on Swadhar Homes in UP, Uttarakhand, WB, Odisha Nov 2016Medical facilities report 08.11.2016The Supreme Court in Environment And Consumer Protection Foundation vs UOI: "Plethora of reports...gold mine of pragmatic and workable suggestions".
Agreed Action Plan Approved By Court. The Supreme Court in Environment And Consumer Protection Foundation vs UOI para 10: On 18.07.2017 Solicitor General submitted Agreed Action Plan. Key points:Database: Aadhaar enabled software for Swadhar Greh inmates within 6 months. CSR Funds: Public sector organizations to contribute CSR for destitute widows. Swadhar Greh: Schemes of Swadhar Homes + Short Stay Homes merged into "Swadhar Greh" w.e.f 01.01.2016. Run by States with Central funding. Age Limit: Proposal to enhance 3-year stay limit for women above 55 under consideration. Health: Linkage with CHCs/PHCs for free medicines. Widow pension not to be diverted. Legal Aid: Inmates to get free legal aid from NALSA/DALSA. Monitoring: 3-tier monitoring - District, State, Central Level. Social audits. Awareness: States to generate awareness about Swadhar Greh.The Supreme Court in Environment And Consumer Protection Foundation vs UOI: Court made comments on each point.Committee Constituted + Constitutional Principles
The Supreme Court in Environment And Consumer Protection Foundation vs UOI para 11-12: Constituted Committee of 7 members including Ms. Suneeta Dhar, Ms. Meera Khanna, Ms. Abha Singhal Joshi to study all reports and give "common working plan" by 30.11.2017.The Supreme Court in Environment And Consumer Protection Foundation vs UOI: Also asked Committee to consider "widow remarriage" to give up "stereotype view".The Supreme Court in Environment And Consumer Protection Foundation vs UOI para 14-17: Cited People's Union for Democratic Rights, Balwant Singh Chaufal, Delhi Jal Board on PIL. Held: "Constitutional duty" of superior courts to protect rights of "deprived and vulnerable sections".The Supreme Court in Environment And Consumer Protection Foundation vs UOI para 18: "Widows in some parts...socially deprived and to an extent ostracized". Court intervened for "social justice".
Conclusion
Environment And Consumer Protection Foundation vs Union Of India is landmark PIL on environment and consumer protection foundation vs union of india widows vrindavan 2017. Supreme Court 11.08.2017 held Article 21 includes right to live with dignity for abandoned widows. Court approved Agreed Action Plan for Swadhar Greh, health, pensions. Court constituted expert Committee for final plan. Court emphasized role of PIL for socially disadvantaged. As the law stands, state has duty to rehabilitate destitute women. The Supreme Court’s ruling in Environment And Consumer Protection Foundation is model for welfare litigation.
