LEH: Asserting that the child rights must be given utmost priority in all aspects, Chairperson National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), Priyank Kanoongo on Friday directed the stakeholders in the region to ensure that not a single child in Ladakh remains away from his or her rights in all forms.
Kanoongo also directed Border Roads Organisation to look into cases of labourers’ children’s rights and instructed to set up pre-fabricated camps to provide Anganwadi facilities to children of labourers working for them.
He was speaking at the first ever grievance redressal bench on matters of child rights violations and welfare, organised by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights in collaboration with District Administration Leh, UT Ladakh, here.
Kanoongo chaired an inter-departmental review meeting on child rights and reviewed the works of the concerned departments, including Social Welfare, Education, Labour department related to the grievances of child protection and rights in the region.
He directed the departments and concerned organisations to ensure that the child rights are given utmost priority in all aspects and further asked Border Roads Organisation to look into cases of labourers’ children’s rights and instructed to set up pre-fabricated camps to provide Anganwadi facilities to children of labourers working for them.
The Chairperson NCPCR, reiterated the departments to ensure the availability of elementary schools for the children within the defined area under RTE Act.
He exhorted to ensure that children of migrant labourers and Children in Street Situations (CISS) are not denied admission in schools on non-availability of documents such as Aadhar and Transfer certificate, etc.
Chairperson NCPCR, directed the labour department to form District Task Force to look into the matters of child labours. He also informed the department to collect a proper data of absentee students from schools for more than 30 days, and directed to examine such cases from probable possibility of child labour.
Directions were also given for proper mapping of KGBV schools of both Leh and Kargil and to ensure that such govt hostels are run in full capacity.
Further, he appreciated the collaborative work of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and Child Development Project Office (CDPO) witnessed in UT Ladakh.
Earlier, officers from concerned departments, including Social Welfare, Education. Labour and CWC briefed on the various cases and work done by the department for the grievances related to child protection and rights in the region. They apprised about various cases of Child in need of care and protection (CNCP), compensations/ benefits provided in POCSO cases, children in street situations (CISS), child labour and child adoption, etc.
Later in the day, the grievance redressal bench headed by Kanoongo addressed cases and incidents related to violation of child rights and welfare in the districts. The bench redressed grievances related to cases of POCSO Act, financial sponsorship, documentation related issues.
To provide financial assistance to the children belonging to poor and distressed families, the parents were instructed to register with NRLM and NULM to earn livelihood opportunities. Cases pertaining to Children with Special Needs and PwDs were also addressed during the bench.
On the issues and challenges faced by the departments in execution of schemes intended for the welfare of children and beneficiaries, Chairperson NCPCR assured to further take up the matter with concerned ministries and redress them at the earliest.
He further informed concerned departments to create awareness among the public about various government schemes related to financial assistance, scholarships, POCSO Act, etc.
To redress the grievances and provide services instantaneously, stalls for Aadhar enrolment and updation, Golden card and PMJAY registration, health check-up under RBSK along with stalls by banks, Social Welfare Department, DLSA, Health, NRLM, SHGs, etc were also installed during the camp.
Member, Secretary NCPCR, Rupali Banerjee; Commissioner Secretary, Social and Tribal Welfare, UT Ladakh, Padma Angmo; Deputy Magistrate, Leh, Shrikant Suse, Senior Superintendent of Police Leh, P D Nitya; ADC Leh; Senior Technical Experts from NCPCR; Expert Resource Person on Child Right; Consultant NCPCR and heads of various departments such as Social Welfare, Health, Education, Home, DLSA, Labour, Panchatyati Raj, BRO, JJB, CWC participated in the meetings.
