Rights body demands State child Policy
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 29 2012:
Citing absence of a viable child Policy in the State as the main factor for minor children continuing to suffer various forms of atrocities, Manipur Alliance for Child Rights (MACR) has demanded that the Government of Manipur draft state Child Policy at the earliest.
Speaking to newspersons at Hotel Nirmala today, MACR convenor K Pradipkumar said inspite of numerous reports of crime against children the perpetrators manage to either evade arrest or avoid punishment owing of absence of a legislation to protect the children as well as punish the accused persons.
Absence of such a policy is also impeding judicious implementation of noble educational projects including Right to Education (RTE) and Sarva Shiksa Abhiyan (SSA) in the State, said Pradipkumar while explaining that some school authorities are not conforming to guidelines for universal education of the children under RTE and SSA.
While the entire country had implemented RTE consequent to the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh proclaiming the Act in april 2010, there is still no sign of RTE provisions being implemented in private schools while for Government schools the benefits have been extended in a partial manner, the convenor noted.
It is said that with the exception of Tamenglong, 88 private schools in the eight remaining districts have been covered by a MACR survey conducted from September 2011 .
Contrary to RTE provisions for free education of students belonging to BPL families by reserving 25 percent of seats in a school these private schools were found to be violating the RTE guidelines, he alleged.
Pradipkumar also described as unfortunate assertion by some of the private school authorities and Education Department officials that they had no idea of such provisions.
Besides BPL students RTE also has provision for free education of students affected by HIV/AIDS or are suffering from physical disabilities, he maintained while highlighting that nearly 5 lakh students of both private and Government educational institutions are being deprived of their rights.
The convenor also informed that in between September 2011 till the current month, MACR has gathered report about 11 cases of rape, 38 cases related to child trafficking, murder of nine children, seven cases of injury caused by bomb blast, kidnapping and attempt to murder, besides one case of suicide and nine cases of child soldier.
Further confiding that a total of 800 children have been affected by the eviction drive against settlers of Loktak Lake and lives of 20 children impaired due to eviction drive at Lamphelpat Yaipha Leikai, Pradipkumar regretted that inspite of injustices against children being redressed or rehabilitated under the juvenile Justice Act 2000 in other parts of the country, the legislation remains ineffective in Manipur.
Expressing grave concern on the increasing cases of rape of the girl child, he however conveyed appreciation to authorities of Social Welfare Department for extending financial assistance of Rs 70,000 each to four children whose modesty had been outraged.
Pointing out that some victim children of other cases are being provided Rs 65 every month under the specific programme of Social Welfare Department,
Pradipkumar said the meagre amount is unjustifiable for expenditures incurred in travel is more than the amount received.
Contending that not even a single perpetrator of crime against children has been chargesheeted by the law enforcing agencies or the criminals sent to jail, the convenor strongly suggested that putting in place State Child Policy will facilitate initiation of appropriate punitive action against the criminals and consequent check crime against children.
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