No names announced for CWC
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 20 2015:
Formal announcement of the names selected as the members and Chairperson of Child Welfare Committee (CWC), Imphal West has been delayed due to the alleged inclusion of a woman, who is the daughter of a Selection Board member, in the selected list.
A reliable source said that as the tenure of the last CWCs of all the nine districts had expired in September this year, the Social Welfare Department had taken up necessary steps for the formation of new CWCs in all the districts for a term of three years.
As per laid down rules, all the CWCs must have five members each including Chairpersons, the source said.
In Imphal West district, several cases, which are to be disposed under Juvenile Justice Board, are pending since the past three months due to delay in the formal announcement of the names, who are to be included in the new CWC of the district, the source said.
For other districts, Under Secretary (Social Welfare) Sonia Oinam had already issued a notification regarding formation of new CWCs.
However, normal sittings of these CWCs could not be conducted till date as the Government has not appointed the required number of members.
Although, selection of five members is mandatory for all the CWCs, no CWC has five members, the source said.
So far, the Government has appointed three members for CWC, Thoubal, two each for Bishnupur, Chandel, Ukhrul, Churachandpur and Tamenglong and one for Senapati district, the source said.
Although, all the CWCs must have three sittings every week, neither of the CWCs has conducted any sitting till date due to inadequate quorum, the source said.
The source further said that the Government is yet to hand over charge to the new members and Chairpersons.
Moreover, their names have not been notified in the State gazette as well till date.
Maintaining that CWCs are the competent authorities for protection and giving care to children, the source observed that the State Social Welfare Department has committed an error in delaying the process of handing over charge to new CWCs.
On the other hand, the source said that the tenure of the incumbent Chairperson of Manipur Commission for Protection of Child Rights will expire in February next year.