District Collector Sangram Keshari Mohapatra on Wednesday paid a surprise visit to a local childcare institution, called Sisu Ashram, here. After inspecting the establishment, he expressed unhappiness over the sanitation and hygiene, besides safety provided to the children. He ordered the institution authorities to sort out the problems in two days.
The Sisu Ashram has a reputation of being the oldest childcare institution here giving residential facilities to about 82 children coming under age group of 1 to 18 years. The institution is registered with the State Government under section 41 of the Juvenile Justice Care and Protection Act 2015 and runs under JJ [C&PC] Rules 2016 for housing children in need of care and protection.
The Collector found that the web camera and CCTVs installed inside the institution were not functioning. The JJ [C&PC] Rules 2016, Section 67 [12] postulates that closed circuit television cameras should be installed at all key points such as at all entry points to the childcare institution as reception, corridors, kitchen, pantry or store room, dormitories, entry and exit points of the washrooms. The Collector too learnt that sufficient web cameras had not been installed in different points in the institution.
So, he asked the authority to restore the CCTV functioning forthwith as it relates to safety and security of the children.
On sanitation and hygiene matters, the Collector too expressed his unhappiness over daily sweeping and wiping activities of institution. Moreover, the kitchen, dormitory, children’s rooms, toilets and washrooms were found without proper cleaning and maintenance.
The inmates were reportedly taking meals and breakfast seating on floor. So the Collector ordered the institution authority and district child protection unit to sort out the inconsistencies.
Reports said that every childcare institution bears a daily routine for children for a regulated and disciplined life, personal hygiene, cleanness, physical exercise, yoga, educational classes and vocational training as well as recreations and games, moral education, prayers and community singing.
The childcare homes shall strictly adhere to the minimum nutritional standard and diet scale to children suggested under section 33 of the JJ [C&PC] Rules 2016, but all these requirements were not followed in the Sisu Ashram, sources added.
Replying to the Collector’s queries, District Child Protection Officer KC Rout admitted that the web camera and CCTVs of the Sisu Ashram have gone nonfunctional following technical snags and efforts were made to repair them.
Moreover, CWC meetings are held at the Sisu Ashram every month where the children’s grievances are addressed regularly, Rout informed.