Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Aug 16: The High Court on miserable conditions of orphanage and child care homes run by State Government today directed personal appearance of Director Social Welfare Department and sought details of facilities from New Delhi which are being provided in Child Care Homes.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Alok Aradhe hearing a PIL, sought a list of facilities from “Centre for Child Right” in New Delhi provided in child Care Homes.
In this connection, DB asked one Bharti Ali, HAQ, Centre for Child Rights, New Delhi to provide a list of facilities and programmes which are required to be provided and are being provided in Child Care Homes (both for children in conflict with law and those in need of care and protection). Court directed the Registry to send a copy of this order to Bharti who, Court said, may respond on e-mail.
It has been pointed out before the Court by Senior Advocate Bashir Ahmad Bashir who is representing as amicus in the matter that he has inspected several children homes and has found deplorable conditions therein.
In response to Court’s query as to why these homes are in miserable conditions, Court has been informed that certain specific issues which are being required to be addressed in the Children homes in the State and other parts of the country including de-addiction as well as efforts for skilling the inmates which are underway in the Child Care Institutions in other parts of the country.
Amicus also draw the attention of the Court to the mandate of Rule 38 of the Juvenile Justice Act , as applied to the State of J&K and in order to pass holistic orders, Court directed the Director SWD, to remain present in the court on the next date of hearing.
Court also directed the Government of India and State Government to place a proposal with regard to the extending outreach of the skilling programmes to the children in children’s institutions in J&K.
Court has also recorded that the directions contained in the order passed on January 30 have not been complied with so far and directed respondents to file the action taken report with regard to such directions before the next date of hearing.
Court on January 30 had directed the Government to remove all the deficiencies in observation homes and orphanages immediately and ensure prescribed medicines are provided to the children besides Court had also directed that whatever may be the reason the respondents shall ensure that any medicine is prescribed by the doctors shall be supplied forthwith in these homes.
In this connection, Commissioner/Secretary SWD was directed to file his affidavit by next date indicating there-in the action of plan to meet the deficiencies in orphanage homes across the State.
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