Orphanage forced to shut down for functioning without license for 6 yrs

HYDERABAD:A day after Gracious Paradise, the orphanage which forced children into begging was sealed and the children were shifted into safer  quarters, the Rangareddy district child protection unit on Wednesday closed another orphanage that has been running without a license.

Syria Orphanage in Vanasthalipuram was being run for at least six years without a license. The Supreme Court had passed guidelines stating that all the NGOs which have not been registered should register by December 31, 2017. The Department of Women Welfare and Child Development sent a reminder ahead of the said deadline. As part of this, the District Child Protection Units started a routine check across NGOs. Executing orders of the Child Welfare Committee of Rangareddy, 21 children were shifted to Vivekananda Home, informed A Devender, the district child protection officer.

“Starting January 1, we have been conducting checks on NGOs. We are checking if the registered ones are suitable and safe for children and also providing them with temporary registration certificates. On the other hand, we are closing down orphanages such as Syria which are not registered,” added the official.

According to sources, the NGO came under the scanner years ago.  “In 2011, a case of sexual abuse was reported where the owner was accused. The WCWD then ordered for a committee to be formed whose members will oversee its functioning. None of this was followed,” informed the source.