Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 20: The High Court has directed the Government to urgently fill up the vacancies in Child Care Institutions (CCIs) of the State under the Jammu and Kashmir Juvenile Justice Act in order to improve condition of these homes.
Keeping in view of the importance of Jammu and Kashmir Juveniles Justice (Care & Protection of Children) Act, 2013, the Division Bench of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Alok Aradhe directed the Government through Commissioner /Secretary Social Welfare Department to remove the deficiency of staff in Child Care Institutions under the act and report the court on next date.
As several difficulties in the working of the Juvenile Justice Act have been pointed out by Justice Hasnain Masoodi (Retd.) Chairperson of the Selection Cum Oversight Committee (SCOC), Court directed for filling up of various posts which are lying vacant in CCIs.
Court said, in order to enable effective working, first and foremost, it is essential to have complete crop of staff in the institutions under the J&K Juvenile Justice (Care & Protection of Children) Act as the Chairperson of SCOC has pointed out the pitiable conditions in which the children are being compelled to exist in Child Care Institutions.
Justice Masoodi (retd) has also brought to the fore the need for setting up Cradle Reception Centres at Srinagar, Leh, Anantnag, Baramulla, Jammu, Kathua, Udhampur and Rajouri to temporarily house the neonates as he said, these neonates are being at present housed in hospitals exposing them to the tremendous risk of serious infections.
In pursuant to the earlier directions of the Court, Farooq Ahmad Lone, Secretary, Department of Social Welfare, accompanied by G A Sofi, State Mission Director, who were present before the Court, informed that an advertisement for recruitment against 128 posts in various categories, as required for the Child Care Institutions under the Jammu & Kashmir Juveniles Justice (Care & Protection of Children) Act, 2013, was issued. However, certain objections were received from Justice Masoodi, with regard to the criteria prescribed by the authorities and account of these objections, the previous notification was cancelled for working out a fresh eligibility criterion.
“We have noted in our previous orders about the critical requirement of filling up the posts. We make it clear that there should be no further delay. In so far as the observations of the Chairperson Cum Oversight Committee conveyed are concerned, the same are in the nature of suggestions”, Court said. Court directed the authorities to apply their mind to the same and evolve appropriate criterion and there is no impediment to the authorities in consulting the Chairperson who would bring the wealth of his experience and knowledge to the deliberations. “The recruitment process should in any case be completed within a period of three months from today. The status report in this regard shall be placed before us”, read the court direction.
The Chairperson has also emphasized the imperative need of regulation and certification of Child Care Centres as well as regular inspections of Government and NGO run institutions. Court has also been informed by Secretary SWD, that the matter with regard to creation of a dedicated department of Women and Child is also being considered at the highest level and in this regard Court sought report from him within one month.
Counsel appearing for Home Department informed the Court that pursuant to the directions made by the Court, the Special Juvenile Police Units have been created in all the districts of the State and besides that
Juvenile Police Officers and Child Welfare Officers have been nominated for each unit. Court directed orders issued by the authorities in this regard be placed on record on next date of hearing.
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