``The difficulties faced by mentally handicapped children and their keepers (known as house aunties) are inseparable and interwoven,'' says a recent Juvenile Welfare Board (JWB) order.

In fact, JWB chairman B S Gahlaut had visited the home a few months ago to see whether or not the mentally handicapped juveniles are looked after properly. ``I found that one house aunty was looking after around 15 juveniles. She is required to work 144 hours continuously and single-handedly. After six days she is given one rest day. She is required to cook food for the juveniles, wash their clothes, clean their toilets and make their bed.'' And for all this she gets paid a paltry Rs 33.40 a day.

In hisorder Gahlaut says: ``I feel humiliated that in free India an exploitation of this magnitude is being perpetuated by my own government. Ours is a welfare state and such wide discrimination should not be allowed to exist in a civilised society.''

When he took up the matter with Social Welfare Director Gita Sagar he was informed that this is of administrative concern and not connected to the JWB. But Gahlaut says in his order: ``I am of the firm opinion that the welfare of mentally handicapped juveniles is directly proportional to the welfare of house aunties.''

The JWB chairman went to the home again on August 23. He met Delhi Chief Minister Sahib Singh Verma the same evening, who assured him that the caretakers would be paid Rs 90 a day, with immediate effect.

Asha Kiran is the only home of its kind in north India. Among its 500 inmates are those who have been committed under the Juvenile Justice Act, 1986.

The home authorities were shocked out of their complacency when the inmates started dying. Thefirst victim was Anju Bala, 22, at 5 am on August 21 due to unknown reasons. The same day 27-year-old Seema died at 11 am from epilepsy, 40-year-old Dhani died at 1 pm of a cardiac arrest and 12-year-old Satish died at 11 pm due to unknown reasons. Ragini died on August 22.

The helplessness of these children who often cannot communicate either their joy or their pain acted as a spur to the JWB, ``to do justice to the images of these children who stare at us as if they want to say something, but are unable to do so as their minds are impaired.'' The JWB has now recommended that the house aunties be given an adequate rest period every eight hours; that they receive specialised training in the care of mentally handicapped juveniles; and that those who have worked for three years be given regular jobs which ``will act as security in old age''.

An interesting aspect of the order is that all homes should be open to those who are interested in social service. Most home superintendents guard their domain asfortresses and outsiders are not welcome. Both Gahlaut and JWB member Rameshwar Goel strongly feel that the children will benefit from the love and affection showered on them by Delhiites willing to spare the time for this voluntary service.

Also mentioned in the order is a request to the government to allow the superintendent to seek voluntary donations from the public and maintain an account under Section 52 of the JJ Act.

Notices have been sent to the Social Welfare Directorate, principal secretary to the CM and superintendent of Asha Kiran. The Directorate is to submit a report on the action taken within two weeks.