Sulabh disburses monthly aid to Vrindavan widows

Lucknow, Aug 22 (IANS) Sulabh International, the NGO promoting low-cost sanitation and hygiene, Wednesday said it would provide a monthly aid of Rs.1,000 to widows living in penury in Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh.

The aid for August had been distributed to the widows living in four government shelters, Sulabh founder Bindeshwar Pathak said on the last day of his visit to the temple town.

He said the payments would be made on the fifth day of every month.

In addition, the NGO was also purchasing four ambulances to provide 24x7 service to the widows.

Sulabh has also opened a centre to look after healthcare, last rites and other welfare measures of the widows.

Pathak told IANS that Sulabh would "always be doing everything that was possible to ensure a dignified life to these women in their twilight years, and more so a dignity in death".

The measures come after Supreme Court recently suggested that International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) and Sulabh be contacted to find out whether they could help the 1,790 widows living in deplorable conditions in four state government shelters in Vrindavan.

The apex court had also directed the Uttar Pradesh government to at least ensure proper last rites of the widows.