Chandigarh, May 8 -- In a move that has evoked a strong opposition from families of differently abled persons, the UT administration has decided to convert half of the Rs.35-crore Group Home in Sector 31 into a paid senior citizens' home after receiving poor response in three rounds of admissions. Parents allege the decision was taken without placing the matter before the UTTHAAN Society, the governing body constituted to oversee the specialised facility meant for mentally ill and intellectually disabled persons. The social welfare department on Thursday issued an admission notice inviting Chandigarh senior citizens to apply for 38 ground-floor seats at the Group Home. Simultaneously, the administration announced a fourth round of admissions for mentally ill and intellectually disabled persons, offering 22 general seats and nine EWS seats at the Small Group Home located in Senior Citizens' Home, Sector 15. The Group Home in Sector 31 was planned as a first-of-its-kind government facility in North India under Section 19 of the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017, which guarantees the right to community living. It was to address the concerns of parents of persons with mental disabilities, who were long haunted by the question "who cares for our children after us". Families now fear the specialised facility is being diverted from its original purpose. Another concern is the widening of admissions to applicants from across India. Many parents fear that if the seats are filled by outstation applicants, Chandigarh residents may lose access to the facility and be pushed into a waiting list. Citizens for Inclusive Living Society (CILS), which works for welfare of people with mental and intellectual disabilities in the Tricity, questioned why the matter was not discussed in UTTHAAN Society meetings. "Many families were planning to apply in the coming months and were taking counselling for the same," said Dr Adarsh Kohli, CILS member. Dr BK Waraich, a governing body member and mental health professional, said the administration already runs two senior citizens' homes in Chandigarh and separate land had been allotted in Sector 34 for another such facility. The administration received around 16 applications in the first round, 18 in the second and 10 in the third round, including three from Mohali and Panchkula. Joginder Kaur, mother of a son with intellectual disability, said she had planned to shift her son once the facility became fully functional. "Persons with intellectual disability require a safe and caring environment. The Group Home is still lacking essential facilities and no parent wants to take such a risk. Professional staff is urgently needed to deal with relapse or emergencies," she said. Despite repeated attempts, social welfare secretary Anuradha S Chagti and director social welfare Radhika Singh were unavailable for comments....