Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has directed senior district level officials to inspect the divyang, old age homes, correctional centres and therapeutic centres for drug addicts twice a month as part of its stepped up measures to ensure care and safety of the differentially abled, senior citizens and other inmates.
The principal secretary, Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SSEPD), Nitin Chandra has asked the district collectors in a communication to direct the additional collector, sub-collector, BDO, district social security officer and other senior district level government functionaries to inspect these centres two times every month, taking strong exception to the chaotic functioning of these centres.
The development comes against the backdrop of alleged cases of sexual harassment of minor girls in a shelter home in Dhenkanal district and the stricture of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR).
The officials will submit a report to the district collector about the security provision, sanitation, kitchen and treatment facility in these centres. They will also present a report about the utilisation of funds allotted to these centres by the state government, Chandra’s letter has stated.
While the state government provides financial assistance for the maintenance of hundreds of these centres with adequate staff to look after the safety and security of the inmates under proper guidelines, most of these centres, however, are reported to be flouting guidelines. This has come to the notice of the Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SSEPD) during the district-wise inspection last year.
Earlier this month, Women and Child Development Minister Prafulla Samal had said that instructions have been given to the Collectors to verify the registration documents of the shelter homes under the Juvenile Justice (JJ) Act and initiate action against those that have been not been registered. The reports of the District Collectors are awaited. Appropriate action would be taken on the basis of the reports, he said.
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