Lack of full-time secretary hampers TN child rights panel

COIMBATORE: Since its constitution in 2013, Tamil Nadu State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (TNCPCR), the apex body to monitor implementation of child rights legislations, has had no full-time secretary (an officer not below the rank of Secretary to the Government) as mentioned under Section 21 of CPCR Act, 2005.

Child rights activists said the Director of Social Defence has been holding additional charge as secretary of TNCPCR for the last eight years. Child Welfare Committee (CWC), Junior Justice Board, District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) and children’s homes come under the Directorate of Social Defence.

When there are irregularities in children’s homes or DCPU, there will be conflict of interest as the head of TNCPCR and Directorate of Social Defence is the same person, they alleged. “In the absence of a full-time secretary to TNCPCR, files are gathering dust. The commission is acting at a snail’s pace. It should be upgraded to a stature similar to that of State Human Rights Commission,” the activists demanded.

According to sources, inquiries at the TNCPCR headquarters in Chennai are being conducted in violation of norms, without the presence of majority of the members. The chairperson should invite all the current five members and ensure presence of the quorum to validate the inquiries. While a quorum of at least three members should be present during inquiries, less number of members are present on multiple occasions, the sources said.

“Despite receiving several complaints under POCSO Act, the commission did not register cases but only gave them file numbers. A separate wing should be formed to inquire into this, and the government should appoint a registrar to monitor the inquiry,” the activists said.

Sources in TNCPCR said the members have not been paid travelling and dearness allowance for the last six months. “The members are paid honorarium of Rs 1,000 for a monthly meeting, while CWC members get Rs 1,500 per day. Though the TNCPCR members work for more than 20 days in a month, they are not paid on time,” the sources said.

A Devaneyan, Chennai-based child rights activist, said, “Not only at the secretary level, the posts from chairperson to members should be revamped as those holding the posts currently don’t have expertise in matters of POCSO Act,  Juvenile justice, Right To Education and prevention of child marriages.” Kerala allocates Rs 7 crore to the commission, whereas in TN, it is only Rs 51 lakh , he said. Despite repeated attempts, Social Welfare Minister Geetha Jeevan was not available for a response.

Panel to inquire into school girl’s suicide
Coimbatore: The Tamil Nadu State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (TNCPCR) has taken suo motu cognisance of the suicide of a school girl who allegedly was sexually assaulted by a teacher. A bench of four members headed by chairperson Saraswathi Rengaswamy held inquiry with the parents and friends of the girl on Thursday. Sources said the panel would ensure that police filed charge sheet at the earliest.