The New Indian Express: Kerala: Wednesday,
September 26, 2018.
As many as 280 child care institutions
(CCI) in the state have downed their shutters after the Women and Child Development
Department tightened screws on them for failing to implement the Juvenile
Justice (JJ) Act.
The Supreme Court had earlier directed
the states to close down all CCIs that were not registered under JJ Act before
March 31. The JJ Act makes it mandatory upon the CCIs to arrange a slew of
facilities such as providing a minimum living space for inmates (40 sq ft) and
a fixed number of wardens (one per every 10 children). The state has been also
asked to form inspection committees comprising government representatives to
check the institutions and also conduct social auditing.
As per the documents obtained from the
Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) of Women and Child Development
Department under the RTI act, Ernakulam had the highest number of CCIs shut
down and that came to a whopping 58. Kottayam came second as 36 institutions
were closed down. About 30 each were closed in Thiruvananthapuram and Thrissur
districts.
Before JJ Act was implemented, around
1,200 CCIs were functioning in the state and out of that, only 817 institutions
have been registered under the new act that envisages a better government
monitoring on the way the CCIs function.ICPS administrative officer S Saji told
Express the requirements laid under JJ
Act would make the CCIs more child-friendly and accountable.
“The requirements for obtaining the JJ
registration have been clearly laid down. Now, the government will have a clear
idea of even the number of inmates each institution is having. There were
instances of children being trafficked from other states so that the
institutions can show that number and obtain the government’s financial aid.
The JJ Act makes inspections mandatory. So, now we will get to know whether the
children in those institutions are the ones who really deserve the care,” he
said. However, certain CCIs have complained that certain norms in the JJ Act
should be relaxed as following them would be a herculean task.
“The rules such as increase in the number
of staff have to be diluted as it will put more financial burden on those
running CCIs,” said Fr P D Thomas, director of Don Bosco Nivas Open Shelter
Home. Don Bosco was one of the first CCIs to get registered under the JJ Act,
but Fr Thomas said everyone may not be able to implement all the norms.
“The Act as such should not be opposed as
it envisages better care for the children. It can put a clamp on sexual
harassments. Relaxation of certain norms is enough,” he said.However, some of
the CCIs that have ceased functioning rechristened themselves as hostels.
Divine Children’s Home in Mudavanmugal is one such institution. The
office-bearers said they have all the facilities to be registered under the JJ
Act, but the hostile attitude of certain government officers created trouble
and hence they decided not to seek registration under the Act. “We’ve been
running CCI for the past 16 years and have all the required facilities to get
the JJ Act registration. But due to the hostile attitude of a few government
employees in the departments concerned, we decided to wind it up. As we want to
protect the children, we started a hostel under the Municipal Act, “ said an
officeholder.
‘Dilute some norms’
Certain child care institutions have
complained certain norms in the JJ Act, such as increasing the the number of
staff, should be relaxed as following them would be a herculean task.