Only 8 Ludhiana shelter homes registered

Manav Mander

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, September 3

Amid the controversy over Packiam Mercy Cross Trust, an unregistered child shelter home here, the state Department of Social Security and Development of Women and Children has stated that only eight shelter homes in Ludhiana district are registered with it under the Juvenile Justice (care and protection of children) Act.

Five of these are located inside the city and three on the periphery. Those being run by the government are the Community Home for Mentally Retarded at Jamalpur, the State After Care Home and the Observation Home (both at Shimlapuri).

The private ones are Shri Balaji Prem Ashram-cum-Nikhil Vidyalaya and Nishkam Sewa Ashram (both on Pakhowal Road), Heavenly Angels (Doraha), Swami Ganga Nand Bhuriwale International Foundation and Guru Nanak Charitable Trust (both at Mullanpur).

The functioning of these homes is the responsibility of the state government or NGOs. The Ministry of Women and Child Development monitors their working. The shelter homes have to get themselves registered within six months of start of operations. There are two types of kids in these shelter homes — those who have relations such as grandfather or uncle/aunt alive and cannot be given for adoption, and those who are abandoned and can be adopted. The maximum number of children a home can have is 50 in each category.

District Social Security Officer Harmesh Singh said the main aim of opening shelter homes was to provide permanent residential facilities to needy children, especially beggars, ragpickers, vendors, street performers, orphans and abandoned children.

Meanwhile, the renewal of registration of St Mother Teresa Home, run by the Missionaries of Charity, is pending. The registration has to be renewed every five years. “A couple of weeks ago, an inspection committee went to the home and found that everything was in place. We will forward the report to the Deputy Commissioner, who will further send it to the department concerned,” said Harmesh Singh.

Inspection norms

• The state government shall appoint inspection committees for all institutions registered or recognised under the Juvenile Justice (care and protection of children) Act
• Such committees shall mandatorily conduct visits at least once in three months to inspect the facilities for children. Every team shall have no less than three members, of whom at least one shall be a woman and one a medical officer
• The team shall submit its findings within a week to the district child protection unit or state government
• On the submission of report by the committee within a week of inspection, appropriate action shall be taken within a month by the district child protection unit or state govt