NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION, INDIA 6.13 Dr. Vinod Aggarwal, Special Rapporteur, NHRC for Central Zone (with additional charge of West Zone) met Secretary General on 11th June 2019 and discussed the visit priorities/pending issues. In this meeting, Dr. Vinod Aggarwal submitted that the Ranchi Institute of Neuro-Psychiatry and Allied Sciences is inadequately staffed due to non-availability of recruitment rules. Another suggestion of the Special Rapporteur was that the Development Commissioner should be asked to be present in the Hospital at least thrice in a week to monitor the working of the hospital. Subsequently, the Commission wrote a letter to Chief Secretary, Government of Jharkhand to expeditiously notify the recruitment rules, recruit adequate staff and consider the suggestion of Special Rapporteur, NHRC regarding the role of Development Commissioner. 6.14 Dr. Pratima Murthy, Member of Core Group on Health and Mental Health had drawn the attention of the Commission on the issue of shifting of mental health patients to old age and beggar’s home by Maharashtra Government which was published in the Indian Express dated 21st December, 2019. Taking cognizance of the issue, the matter was taken up with the Chief Secretary, Government of Maharashtra and he was requested for sending a report to the Commission and simultaneously, Special Monitor, NHRC (Health and Mental Health) was deputed for checking the ground realities in the matter. B. Visits to Mental Health Institutions 6.15 Smt. Jyotika Kalra, Member, NHRC visited the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS), Delhi to review the functioning of the institution on 11th April 2019. In this regard the Commission recommended the State Government of National Capital Territory that IHBAS should take up the necessary steps for recruitment & promotional avenues for the staff so as to ensure staff expansion for new/specialized areas in Mental Health, for human rights needs (e.g. Counselors, Clinical Psychologists), for Disability Certification, for manpower needs (e.g. legal consultants) and for Assistance to Judicial and Quasi-judicial agencies. It was also recommended that the rehabilitation program should be evolved for patients who are either falsely victimized or not taken back into their families for other reasons. 6.16 Smt. Jyotika Kalra, Hon’ble Member, NHRC visited Uttar Pradesh’s State Government Mental Health Hospital in Bareilly on 28th May 2019 for an on the spot review to evaluate the functioning of the institution. At State Government Mental Health Hospital, Bareilly it was observed that there is shortage of staff, therefore, the Commission recommended the State Government of Uttar Pradesh that sanctioned posts need to be filled on immediate basis and if required, more such posts like clinical psychologist, psychiatric social worker, and psychiatric nurses to be sanctioned by the State to run the Mental Healthcare Hospital properly. It was also noted that patients are admitted from neighboring States but there are no clear guidelines by the State Authority regarding this. As per the Government policy, the hospital was not allowed to admit patients from any other State. Thus, it was recommended that the State Government must issue clear guidelines in order to accommodate patients coming from neighboring States, and appropriate technology must be used to trace and track the patient’s identity and his/her ANNUAL REPORT 2019-20 93