RANCHI: The State Committee of Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR), in a report submitted to Chief Minister Raghubar Das on Friday, recommended the closure of 35 shelter homes in the state including the ‘Nirmal Hriday’ shelter in Ranchi, run by the Missionaries of Charity.
The report was filed in response to the incident of the alleged sale of babies from the ‘Nirmal Hriday’ shelter in July this year.
Das had ordered the SCPCR to submit a report on the conditions at the 126 shelter homes in the state after the team visited each of them.
“After visiting all 126 shelter homes in the state, a recommendation for closing down 35 shelter homes has been made while 24 others were given three months time to improve conditions or their licenses will also be cancelled,” said SCPCR Chairperson Arti Kujoor.
“The conditions in many shelter homes was really horrible as they lacked even basic amenities like proper accommodation, food and security...while there also were some which were found serving only rice with salt only during lunch to the children,” said Kujur.