Judiciary to monitor implementation of 16-point agenda in child care homes

The Madras High Court is all set to monitor the implementation of a 16-point agenda, aimed at protecting institutionalised children as per the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act. First bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice MM Sundresh on recording the Government’s decision to proceed with all the 16 suggestions made for better functioning of Child Care Institutes (CCI) in the State, said, “The next issue is how to implement the suggestions. We are of the view that a period of four months should be a reasonable time for their implementation. We would like to monitor that aspect with continued interaction as has happened in pursuance to the last order.”

The petitioner A Narayanan of Change India, who brought the issue to the high court, had cited numerous instances of unauthorised homes pushing the cause of such unfortunate children to further misery.

Thereafter, through a series of court directions and meeting wherein Narayanan had put forth his suggestions, a 16-point agenda was worked out for implementation. The agenda included aspects like registration of all child care home within 100 days, shifting of all homes and adoption centres under the aegis of Department of Social Welfare to Department of Social Defence, closure of all unregistered and sub-standard child CCIs within four months, reconstitution of district level inspection committees and preparation of a road map to check CCIs managed by religious bodies.

The first bench also clarified that a case against the appointment of Chairperson for the State Commission for the protection of child rights has become infructuous as the person has already completed his tenure. However, it directed the State to appoint a person actively involved in the field of child welfare.