KOCHI: A day after a one-and-half-year-old boy was assaulted by the caretaker of Kali Veedu Daycare and Play School at Palarivattom, the Kochi City Police on Wednesday started compiling a list of playschools and daycare centres under its jurisdiction. The Special Branch wing has been tasked with compiling the list.
ACP T R Rajesh, who is in-charge of the Special Branch, said the police were collecting the details of daycare centres and creches in the city after inspections. “At present, there is no actual data on the number of such institutions in the city. We need to identify the centres first and then check whether they are complying with the government’s norms,” he said.
“The collection of details is progressing on a good pace. The inspection will take some time as the entire city has to be covered,” he said.
IG’s directive to Spl Branch units
IG (Kochi Range) P Vijayan has issued a direction to the Special Branch units in Ernakulam, Alappuzha, Idukki and Kottayam asking them to prepare a list of daycare/playschools under their jurisdiction and conduct inspection.
“The inspection is being initiated in view of reports of child rights violation and unhygienic conditions prevailing in some of the facilities,” he said. Strict action will be taken against those violating the norms, he said.
Neither the Kochi Corporation nor the Social Justice Department has any idea about the number of daycare centres functioning in the city. At present, anyone can start such a centre at his/her home without licence.
There is no inspection of the hygiene, food, timing, teaching or fee regulation at the centres which normally deal with children below five years of age.