DC turns down request of orphanage inmates

Mukesh Tandon

Tribune News Service

Panipat, January 18

Girl inmates living in the orphanage at Sondhapur village along with their caretaker today met Chander Shekhar Khare, Deputy Commissioner (DC). They requested him not to shift them anywhere and not to close their orphanage.

The DC turned down their request and pacified the girls by saying a decision had been taken for their better future. He also directed the caretaker to submit all documents and record of the orphanage to the department concerned by tomorrow.

The district administration had cancelled the registration of the orphanage due to financial irregularities and other norms violations. The district administration had decided to shift all 33 inmates of the private orphanage to government-run institutions in various districts.

The girls requested the DC not to shift them anywhere. The girls said they were feeling at home in the orphanage. The DC did not pay heed to their request.

A girl inmate gave a letter to mediapersons at the Deputy Commissioner’s office. She pointed out in the letter that she lived in the orphanage for the last two years. Any inmate raising a voice against them was tortured by the orphanage controllers, she wrote.

All new clothes and blankets which had been donated by the people to inmates were being sold, she alleged in the letter. Amarjeet Narwal said all record had been submitted to the Additional Deputy Commissioner’s office earlier and some new record would be submitted tomorrow. He alleged that the decision of cancellation of registration of the orphanage was wrong as there were no irregularities.

The Deputy Commissioner said, “All inmates will be shifted to various government-run institutions in various districts.” The decision had been taken for the better future of all inmates, he added.