Social dept in hot water over transfer of kids

Social Department's move to shift 28 children under state's protection from Khanpur Protection Home without proper arrangements attracts criticism from child rights activists

The Social Justice and Empowerment Department has been left red-faced after its attempt to right a wrong backfired. Taking into account last month's CAG report which pointed out several irregularities in the child protection services, the department ordered the Khanpur Observation Home to shift 28 children, in need of protection, to another centre. The idea was to separate these children from those who have a criminal record or past. However, the hasti ly taken decision has landed the department in hot water after the protection home failed to find a safe place for the 28 children to stay.

According to the Juvenile Justice Act, children who are in need of protection and those in conflict with the law cannot be kept on the same premises. However, the Khanpur Observation Home violated this act.

“The home authorities and several child rights activists repeatedly wrote to the department about the matter but no steps were taken. It was only after the CAG report was declared that they made a move to rectify the situation,“ sources said. “How can anyone keep innocent kids and those with a juvenile record under the same roof? Children in need of care need better support and surveillance. But they are also vulnerable and need to be kept away from questionable influence,“ said Dilip Mer, head of state Childline.

On April 8, the home in Khanpur received an order from the department for the immediate transfer of 28 children who were under the state's protection. Unfortunately, there are no other government-run juvenile homes in the city and the ones run my NGOs refused to take in the kids, sources said.Finally, a trust-run juvenile home ­ Bhatia Home ­ took in the children.

Child right activists have criticised the government's sudden order to shift the children without proper plans. Additional Chief Secretary of the department MS Dagur claimed that he was not aware of the matter. “I will look into it and get back to you,“ he said. Meanwhile, Rameshwari Pandya, chairperson of Gujarat State Commission for Protection of Child Rights did not respond to our calls.

The superintendent of the protection home claimed that they did not violate the Act. “They might be on the same premises but they had different rooms, classrooms, mess timings etc.“ said Mayank Trivedi, superintendent of the centre.