JOIN USChildren's homes violate law, get notice
The Delhi department of women and child development has slapped notices to Ummeed Aman Ghar for boys and Kilkari Home for girls, both run by activist Harsh Mander, for shortcomings and non compliance with the Juvenile Justice Act.
The WCD department had sent these notices on September 17 after receiving several inspection reports from Child Welfare Committee and WCD department’s district officer about them.
According to the inspecting teams’ observations, the overall condition of the homes is ‘poor and unhygienic’.
The report added that dormitories are mismanaged, the case files and record registers are not maintained as per law at Ummeed Aman Ghar.
Explanation sought
The department has asked the management for an explanation about nine children missing from the home.
The notice says, “As per the Central Register (of Ummeed Ghar), the names enrolled were 152 children out of which 39 children were restored. The total number of children remains 113; however the attendance register is showing 104 children. Please explain the discrepancy in the figures and details of nine children missing.”
Employees absent
During inspections it was also discovered that on August 16 maximum number of listed employees were not present and medical records of children were not there either.
The department has asked the management to provide a fresh list of employees working at Ummeed Ghar.
However, Ummeed Ghar’s members said on the day of the inspection there was a manual clerical error on the central register and had informed the inspection officers about the same.
“We have a track of where these nine children are as some have been restored and sent back to families. We have finished updating our registers and we can provide individual records of these nine children as they are not missing. We always keep a track of children even after they leave the home,” said Shashank Shekhar Shukla, a volunteer and teacher at Ummeed Ghar.
Pathetic condition
The WCD department has described Kilkari Home’s condition as ‘pathetic’ in the notice. According to the inspection reports, the floors were slippery and people had to look for support to walk on them.
The records were not maintained and the home incharge was unable to provide any information on the number of children residing in the home.
Shukla added that the homes will be ready for re-inspection when department of WCD and CWC come to see if the situation has improved.
“We have taken cognizance of the shortcomings and depending on the time and resources we get we will improve the condition of both homes,” said Shukla.
Compliance report
The WCD department has asked the management of both institutions to submit a compliance report within 10 days to the CWC and if it was not sent on time action will be taken under the Juvenile Justice (care and protection of children) Act, 2000 and Delhi Juvenile Justice Rules, 2009.
Ummeed Ghar members claimed that three children, who were allegedly sexually abused, their statements before the magistrate and the medical report has established that “no sodomy had taken place” within the institution and the complaint was “false”.
Abuse charge
A former staff member had alleged in an e-mail that three younger children were sexually abused by three older inmates. Allegation were also reported in the media.