Bombay HC pulls up govt for ‘jail-like’ conditions at children’s home

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The HC had taken suo motu cognisance of two letters about the crumbling Dongri home and directed the state to make alternative arrangements to accommodate the children in the observation and children’s home.

When the court questioned about the status of the Dongi observation home, it was told the building had been demolished and would be reconstructed in 18 months. “The government is, however, unable to point out the steps taken by the child and welfare department in completing the construction,” observed Justice V M Kanade and Justice Shalini Phansalkar. Senior counsel and amicus curiae Rajiv Patil pointed out that all the children were kept in one room, which did not have any facility.

Stating that it was not satisfied with the reply filed by the state, the HC threatened to carry out an inspection of the home. “We are not sure whether food is really being cooked in the premises. We direct the chief metropolitan magistrate to depute a juvenile justice magistrate to visit the children’s home at Umerkhadi and find out whether proper food is being given to the inmates, place where the food is cooked, quality of the food and whether balanced nutritious diet is given to these children,” observed the Bench. The magistrate has also been asked to inform the court whether proper toilet and bathroom facilities were available for the children. The report will be submitted within two weeks and the matter has been kept for hearing on October 6, 2015.