VIJAYAWADA: K Venkateswara Rao set up Mother Teresa Home for Orphans at Kambhampadu village since 2010 without the approval of the Women and Child Welfare Committee, Krishna District Child Protection Officer Vijay Kumar said.
Kumar added that as per the Juvenile Justice Act 2015, only boys and girls below the age of ten can be housed in a single hostel, but 18 children aged between 8 to 16 years stay at Rao’s establishment, including nine girls.
When asked about the punishment given to the violators operating unauthorised homes or hostels, he said they would have to face one year of imprisonment and a fined of Rs 1 lakh.
Rao will be exempted from judicial custody and fine as a few months ago he had started the procedure to get registered with the Women and Child Welfare Department.