A National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) inspection team has found that inmates of the children’s home ( Shishu Sadan ) and the Observation Home for Boys in Agra are not being given adequate food, leading to malnourishment among many.
NCPCR member Yogesh Dube, who led the three-member delegation, said: “An NCPCR team visited Agra on September 6-7 and stumbled upon various irregularities at the two homes for children. The visit was necessitated following several cases of crime against children there reported to the Commission in the past few months. We had visited the district to inquire into the deaths of children atShishu Sadan .”
In his report, Dr. Dube noted that the children were suffering from severe malnutrition. “The children are not provided adequate food and the staff at these Homes is also not adequately motivated. The situation there [in the homes] needs to be improved urgently. The children here are not just fighting malnourishment, even their educational rights need to be protected and they must be mainstreamed at the earliest,” he added.
The Commission has noted that the State administration must take urgent action to correct the problem of malnutrition among children.
“The Commission,” said Dr. Dube, “will also request the Uttar Pradesh State Legal Authority to provide legal aid to the juveniles in the Observation Home. The district administration has also consented to provide land for construction of a children’s home in the district on the direction of NCPCR. We have directed the State Government to constitute a task force to make the world-famous tourist area child-labour free and develop an action plan on proper implementation of the Right to Education in the district.”