HYDERABAD: Who is responsible for the lives of those abandoned by their families? The answer to this question can be as simple as it can be convoluted. At least 15 children residing at an orphanage in Kachiguda were admitted to the hospital Sunday following a food poisoning caused by bad quality of food donated for them. Initial inquiries reveal that the orphanage -- Anjuman Khadil Musalmin -- was not registered with the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) of Hyderabad district.
According to the provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act, it is for the CWC to issue licences to any NGO taking care of children in a district. The monitoring of these children and the NGO then comes under the purview of the CWC and the government. In the absence of a registration, it becomes rather difficult to ascertain the authority that maybe held questionable.
Officials from the District Child Protection Unit who visited the children noted that they had previously served notices on the said Madrasa to come under government purview, however, they refused to do so.
According to officials at least 300 Madrasas in Hyderabad district alone are outside the purview of CWC. Officials note that these Madrasas prefer and demand to come under Minorities Commission or Wakf board and deny to register under the CWC.
“We have been in constant communication with the Wakf Board and with the Minorities commission regarding the issue. Since it is a sensitive matter where religious minorities are involved, we are trying to sensitise them before incorporating them into the system,” noted Imtiyaz Rahim, District Child Protection Officer. The three departments -- Wakf Board, Minorities Commission and DCPU -- are also planning to convene a meeting post-elections with the many stakeholders and initiate the process, sources told Express.
Meanwhile, child rights activist Achyuta Rao of Balala Hakkula Sangham notes that the increasing number of food poisoning cases highlight the unhygienic conditions where the kids reside.
Repeated attempts to reach the CEO of Wakf board Shahnawaz Qasim and chairman Md Saleem evoked no response.