NHRC sends notice to J'Khand over poor management of Jamshedpur Juvenile Home

New Delhi, Aug 24 (IANS) The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken a suo motu cognisance of the report of its Special Rapporteur on the lack of adequate facilities, care and rehabilitation plans for the inmates in the overcrowded Juvenile Justice Home, run by the Jharkhand government. 

"The Commission has observed that a government institution cannot be allowed to remain in complete apathy and neglect due to the negligence of the officers, causing human rights violations of the children in conflict with the law, some of whom have been staying in JJH for years together," an official of the NHRC said. 

Officials said that NHRC has issued a notice to the Chief Secretary and the Secretary of the Department of Women and Child Development, seeking a report within six weeks on various points. 

"According to the report, we have asked, whether, cases have been registered, if not, what steps have been taken to register cases due to torture indulged by the police personnel upon the juveniles and under what compulsions, police personnel have been deputed in the JJH? If cases registered what is the status?

"What steps have been taken to install CCTV cameras in the common places in JJH due to which incidents of torture and beating up by the police personnel remained unnoticed? What steps have been taken or proposed to be taken for improving the living condition, including proper light, fan, adequate number of bed sheets, sufficient quantity of toilets for children and road map for adequate planning for each child for his welfare with regard to their stay in the Juvenile Justice Home. What steps have been taken to improve the kitchen condition and to provide clean and well-cooked food to the juveniles in a conducive and conjure atmosphere?

"Steps taken or to be taken to segregate the children of different age groups and also children suffered from severe and heinous crimes from petty offences. Steps taken or to be taken to facilitate the removal of children of having age of more than 18-years from JJH since it is contrary to the JJ Act. 

"Steps taken or proposed to be taken fix up the responsibility upon the Superintendent and District Welfare Officer as to why they are not visiting JJHR frequently by submitting their reports to the authorities concerned," these are the points which the JJH has to answer within six weeks, NHRC officials said. 

According to the report of the NHRC Special Rapporteur, Suchitra Sinha, the Juvenile Home is overcrowded with very poor basic facilities. 

There have been violent fights among the groups of juveniles due to poor security, lack of supervision and a shortage of staff for effective monitoring. 

Superior officers including the district Welfare officer rarely visited the juvenile homes, resulting in a lack of accountability.