HC restores a corner of deer park for the elderly

The Delhi High Court has ordered the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to restore the use of a corner shed at the deer park in Safdarjung Enclave where a group of senior citizens organise spiritual, social and cultural activities.

Though the DDA had locked the shed on July 30 after removing all the belongings such as floor mats, harmoniums and tablas of the senior citizens, the court said they should be allowed to use the premises till a final order was passed. The matter will come up for hearing on October 19.

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice A K Sikri and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw passed the interim order while hearing a petition filed by the Senior Citizen Council of Delhi through its president J R Gupta, who said the DDA had broken the lock and removed their belongings without prior notice.

"We order that floor mats, harmonium, tabla, etc., belonging to the members of the appellant (council) would be allowed to remain in the said storeroom as it was being done earlier. However, the lock on the storeroom would be of DDA. This lock shall be removed by the staff of the DDA in the morning to enable these persons to take out their floor mats, harmonium, tabla, etc., for use at the time of yoga, satsang and, thereafter, they would be allowed to keep back the said goods in the storeroom which then can be locked by the DDA staff," the bench said.

Gupta said close to 500 elderly people have been congregating there for the past 33 years. "We organise activities like yoga sessions as well as spiritual discussions every day. We also hold discussions on health. Doctors come and deliver lectures. This has become a common meeting ground for the elderly, whose children have left the city and who find themselves lonely," he said.

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