Report on condition of TN childrens homes gathers dust

Hi, 

Please read today's news report in TOI on the painfully slow process of restoring Juvenile Justice, Care and Protection in Tamil Nadu. A strong dose of Judicial activism is warranted in this regard. Our Hon'ble Judges worked overtime when it came to delivering swift justice in a matter of days for Kamal Hassan's Rs95 crore blockbuster 'Vishwaroopam'.  Is it too much to expect our High court to be little more pro-active when it comes to dealing with destitute children?

Regards

Narayanan.A

 

THE TIMES OF INDIA

Report on condition of TN childrens homes gathers dust TIMES NEWS NETWORK  Chennai: A detailed report of a Madras high court-ordered exercise to monitor child care homes in the state has been gathering dust for five months now.With a spurt in violations in children homes,district legal service authorities were ordered to inspect all registered and unregistered homes in three districts Thiruvallur,Kanyakumari and Tuticorin and expand the ambit of the inspections across the state.The inspection was completed in a months time and submitted as a confidential report in December.But the subsequent inaction is now worrying child rights activists.We found a home in Alwarthirunagar where children were kept in the most unhygienic conditions, said activist A Narayanan who accompanied the magistrates while inspecting homes.Children were found malnourished.The home also serves them leftovers from hotels.Girls and boys were kept together and there was barely any space, he said. In November last year,a 45-year-old founder of a childrens home,Mahalakshmi Foundation in Avadi,was arrested on charges of sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl inmate.When we visited the next day,and we found that the man had been abusing more children.The home was closed, Narayanan said.We expected the court to act quickly on the report so that other homes like this could be ordered shut.  Child rights activists for long have complained of the rampant violations in child care homes and have pressed for stronger monitoring.