RTI reveals post of counselor lying vacant for last 3 years in Ambala Observation Home

AMBALA: An RTI reply has revealed that the post of a counselor has been lying vacant for the last three years in Observation Home Ambala. The revelation has raises serious question mark on the functioning of the women and child development department (WCD).
A brawl had erupted in the observation home on April 12 and then the district WCDO Baljit Kaur had claimed that they regularly conduct counseling of the juveniles, despite the fact that post of the counselor is lying vacant.
As Ambala is one of the major junctions, therefore, a large number of juvenile cases are reported here and the district lacks the required number of counselors. The members of Ambala Child Welfare Committee (CWC) had also been demanding counselors.

In the RTI filed on July 3, the TOI reporter sought information on three points including the total number of juveniles recorded in the years 2017, 2018 and up to June 2019 at the Observation Home Ambala; secondly, name(s) of the counselor(s) deployed at the home for conducting counseling of the juveniles in the year of 2017, 2018, and up to June 2019; and copy of orders appointing the counselors in the home for the same years as mentioned above.
In the reply on July 19, the superintendent-cum-public information officer (PIO) of Ambala WCD disclosed that in the year 2017 a total of 547 juveniles were recorded which went through observation at the Observation Home, Ambala. The number decreased to 517 juveniles in the year 2018. Up to June 2019, the facility has recorded 212 juveniles.
While in the reply to second and third points, the PIO stated that 'in the Observation Home Ambala, the counselor post became vacant in the year 2017, 2018 and up to June 2019' and therefore, there is no copy of the orders available of appointing the counselors.
As per the norms of the Juvenile Justice Act, the appointment of a counselor is important for conducting the counseling of the juveniles at observation home for providing reformative services including education, skill development, counseling, behaviour modification therapy, and psychiatric support during the period of stay in the observation home.
When contacted Haryana State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (HSCPCR) chairperson Jyoti Bainda told, “I will have to look into the records about what posts are sanctioned for Ambala. After the incident of a brawl, our member Dr Pratibha had visited the home and we had sent some recommendations. I will have to update myself about this issue and will be in a position to give information by Friday.”