Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) operating in post-quake Valley have warned that they will file a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) if the government sends orphans to children homes in Maharastra. Coordination committee of national and local NGOs Voluntary Associations Network (VAN) said today that the decision was against a National Commission of Human Rights (NCHR) charter.The government was exploiting the poor, quake-hit people, said Ram Niwas Yadav, Director, Relief and Rehabilitation, SOS Children’s Villages of India. “The decision is against a NCHR charter which says that no child can be taken from his/her state to another illegally,” he said further.Soon after the quake, the Centre announced to send 500 orphans to a children home in Pune, and deposit Rs 5 lakh to account of every child so that interest could be utilised by the organisation.“Why are they working like spies?” questioned Yadav at a press conference here. “They are secretly picking up the kids. Why are they so secretive?” he asked further.“Shifting of minors from their natural environment will affect their personality; they will suffer identity crisis,” said AR Hanjura, President of the Voluntary Associations Network (VAN). Besides, it was violation of the child’s rights as minor because he/she needed family love and care at this stage, he added.Yadav added, “When the tsunami hit Tamil Nadu, its government banned strictly shifting of orphans. Strangely, the Maharashtra Chief Minister brought back some children shifted to Pune from quake-hit Latur. How can he advocate the shifting of Kashmiri children? Same was the case in the Bhuj quake.”The committee, representing SOS India, CRS India, HRC, Action Aid, Confederation of Voluntary Associations (COVA), Aman Trsust, Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI) and some local NGOs, is very apprehensive about the decision.“We will file a PIL if the government does not respond. If Central and state governments are sincere in efforts, they should set up such institutes in the Valley; we have infrastructure here,” added Hanjura.
