Chairman of Karnataka State Commission for Child Rights Protection Anthony Sebastian has said that parents, guardians, officials and society in general should take up the responsibility of ensuring that no child is deprived of its legitimate facilities and rights.
Chairing a progress review meeting on child rights and PoCSO Act, Child Marriage Prevention Act, and RTE at the zilla panchayat hall in Dharwad on Tuesday, Mr. Sebastian said that due to lack of awareness on child rights and laws protecting them, atrocities on children are taking place in society.
He said that there is a dire need for sensitising people and also children on the rights of children and officials should conduct extensive sensitisation programmes through workshops and training programmes starting from the gram panchayat level.
Various government schemes have been implemented, programmes initiated and laws enacted for ensuring the overall personality development of children and to shape their career, he said.
Pointing out that officials too lacked proper knowledge on Child Marriage Prevention Act, RTE and Child Labour Prevention Act, Mr. Sebastian said that this has indirectly helped anti-social elements in engaging children in hazardous jobs in factories. He emphasised the need for officials to update themselves and understand the nuances of the various laws that are enacted to protect children.
Referring to funds released for conducting surveys on children and teenagers working in various areas, he said that officials should visit every village and conduct surveys. He also asked the Deputy Director of Public Instruction to make a list of schools that lack drinking water supply, toilet and other basic amenities and submit it to the commission.
Mentioning that all steps have been taken for protecting child rights, Deputy Commissioner of Dharwad Nitesh Patil said that several minor girls have been rescued from child marriages and are being provided free education after their rehabilitation. He said that there are 31 Child Care Centres in the district that were actively involved in children’s programmes.
He said that these centres were regularly being monitored by officials. And, if it was found that the funds are being misused, then the licence of such centres will be cancelled.
CEO of Zilla Panchayat B. Susheela told the meeting that awareness programmes are being held at the gram panchayat level and steps have been taken to provide drinking water facility to every school under Jal Jivan Mission.
Deputy Commissioner of Police K. Ramrajan, members of the commission Ashok Yaragatti, Parashuram M.L., Bharathi S.W., Jayasree and others were present.
On the occasion, awareness posters were released.
Earlier, Mr. Sebastian inaugurated the regional office of the commission set up at the Vartha Bhavan in Dharwad.
