Children found in shocking state of neglect during inspection of unregistered child home in Chhattisgarh

NEW DELHI: After Odisha, a fresh story of irregularities and neglect has emerged after an inspection of an unregistered children home in Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh. A National Commission for Protection of Child Rights inspection team found a three- year- old baby girl in an unconscious state as she appeared to have not been fed for a few days. Another boy of around 13 was found hiding in a tub full of water in a bathroom that was found locked.
There were 27 others residing in the unregistered home being run in the garb of a hostel. The NCPCR has sought an action take report from the Chhattisgarh authorities and have recommended that an FIR be registered in the matter.
This home is run by an NGO that has been under the scanner since the inspection in Odisha threw up serious violations. The inspection was carried out based on a information shared by police in Odisha about other homes in Chhattisgarh and West Bengal. In case of the Jagdalpur home, NCPCR chief Priyank Kanoongo said that conditions were appalling and reaffirms the need to regulate institutions running as hostels. The NCPCR has already submitted draft guidelines for hostels to the ministry of women and child development.
NCPCR member R G Anand who carried out the inspection at the Jagdalpur facility said, “The conditions inside were very bad. The records showed 48 children (11 boys and 37 girls). Inside we were told there were 21 children. However, when we asked them to open a room, six children including a three year old unconscious child were found. A boy less that 14 years old was rescued from a locked toilet. He was hiding inside a water tub.” He said that nearly 80% of the children were malnourished and in terms of facilities the space was constricted and there were no separate sleeping spaces for boys and girls.
On preliminary inquiry NCPCR found that those running the home had applied for registration as a child care institution but later withdrew from the process. They were attempting to get past the law by citing the facility as a hostel.
In February, TOI had reported that NCPCR conducted inspections at 56 randomly-selected children's homes in 19 districts of Odisha in the aftermath of the alleged sexual abuse of minor girls at a shelter home in Dhenkanal district. In its report the commission recommended that in 13 homes FIRs may be registered or police inquiry may be carried out for various reasons.
Incidentally, the NCPCR had also written to government of West Bengal about a home being run by the same NGO in the state, but the state government asked the commission to postpone its visit citing their inability to arrange for security, accommodation and transport due to election related duties. Given the urgent need for inspections, NCPCR has sought a report on the status of this NGO run home from the state government by Thursday