Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Sept 10: At least 25 orphan and militancy affected children of Nari-Niketan under J&K Social Welfare Department at Mendhar in district Poonch, have been forced to live in the unsafe building.
The fear of being dumped alive under the debris of this unsafe building continues to haunt these hapless girl inmates of this Home for orphans as they go to sleep daily. Under constant threat of collapse of this building during recent rains, these children of ‘Lesser God’ somehow spent sleepless nights. Some Army men from the nearby unit realizing danger to the life of the children have helped and fixed three-four steel supporting rods under the ceiling of this large room where these children are staying.
The ceiling portion of the slab has been broken and developed cracks. No maintenance or repair work has been initiated by the concerned Tehsil Social Welfare officials or the District level officials. At some places some pieces of the ceiling got broken and fell down but the inmates had miraculous escape. The concerned staff of this ‘Nari Niketan’ including Superintendent Champa Devi claimed to have brought the matter to the notice of senior officials including TSW Officer Mendhar and even the district level officials but they never bothered.
This home for orphan children is located across a nallah and near a Graveyard at an isolated place near Mendhar town. There are 25 girl-inmates in the age group of 7 year to 18 years besides three young widows, affected by militancy. So, insensitive are the officers of this SWD run Home for orphans that it is free for all type of tress passers. There is no proper boundary wall, it is broken at many places and even during night hours in the absence of any chowkidar/ watchman, the girls remain under terror. The Superintendent stays at her home, one craft teacher has been placed there who is made to stay there for the last one month. No female care taker is placed by the department at this Home. Another local craft teacher who is posted at Harni has managed her attachment there but she hardly visits the home.
Most of the children are without shoes, proper clothes, uniforms, books and stationery. There is no dinning table or furniture and these children are often served food in the kitchen or in the veranda and they sit on the floor and take food holding their plates in hands. Insiders in the Home told the Excelsior that children are not provided proper diet as per menu. They get mutton and eggs just once a month while it is mentioned per week in the menu. They do not have blankets and proper beddings and during winters they face tough time. They are not provided things of daily use regularly. No proper medical treatment is given when anybody falls sick in the Home. There is no routine Medical check up. The bathrooms are in shabby condition, two are always locked and there is no water connection from PHE. The water is fetched from nearby hand pump by children and used in bath-rooms and toilets. They disclosed that no senior officer from the District, Sub Division or even the local legislator ever visited this Home and inquired about the condition of the helpless inmates.
Tress- passing during the day and even night hours is a routine and officials are also aware of it but they do not take cognizance of the matter and make proper security arrangements besides raising boundary wall and well protected gate. Four computers were given by the Army under Operation Sadhbhavana to the Home. One was taken to the office of TSWO Mendhar, one is lying in the Home but whereabouts of two others are not known. J&K Police had donated about 20 blankets to the Home for the children but they were lying under the custody of Superintendent and were not provided to the children.
Earlier, this Home was housed in a private building. About ten years ago, the Army had got constructed this building under Op Sadhbavna but thereafter, no maintenance work was initiated by the Social Welfare Department. Even no funds were provided for white wash. And the condition deteriorated day by day. Cracks have appeared on the roof, ceiling and walls of the building. All the children have been kept in one large room. Water seepage during rainy season causes more threat to the building.
District Social Welfare Officer Poonch, Mukhlas Qureshi when contacted said that he was not aware of the matter but will get the matter inquired. He said that after posting in this district he has not paid visit to the Home but will go and get the details after talking to inmates.
Additional Deputy Commissioner Poonch, Shafiq Ahmed however, said that he will ask the concerned District Social Welfare Officer to personally visit the Home at Mendhar and submit detailed report. He said the Administration would certainly take serious note of this issue and will do whatever is necessary for the safety and protection of the girls of this Home for Orphans.
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