Koraput: Even as the state is striving to safeguard the interests of children by implementing child rights protection Act, 2005, children remain unsafe and are exploited in childcare centres operated by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the district.
According to sources, young children, minor girls and boys rescued by the local administration from different places of Koraput district are usually accommodated at 16 different centres here.
The state government provides special grants towards their education, rearing and other expenses. It is known that 14 of the 16 childcare centres are being operated by NGOs most of which allegedly lack basic facilities, contrary to provisions in the Act.
Children staying in these NGOs are said to be exploited by the management. Sources said many NGOs embezzle governmental grants given for destitute children, taking it as an additional source of their income.
In the absence of regular monitoring, gross mismanagement is seen in these centres. Of late, such incidents of lack of infrastructure have come to fore. The district monitoring committee has visited the centres and shifted seven children to other places.
Interestingly, indirect involvement of some government officials in the management was also found at some of the centres. Unscrupulous officials have either engaged their family members or relatives in these centres, to misappropriate governmental grants.
In such a situation, children are being compelled to remain in distress. Some children are also being deployed by the management of these centres in household works or even abused otherwise.
Intelligentsia of Koraput district has demanded a high-level inquiry on dubious and unlawful activities of the NGOs operational here.
PNN