DHENKANAL: The child rights issues have remained unresolved in the district due to lack of coordination among Child Welfare Committee (CWC), Child Protection Unit and district administration. The recent incidents of child rights violation have brought lackadaisical attitude of the administration to the fore.
Sources said on June 23, Rajesh Behera (7) of Solagadia Upper Primary school in Gondia block was injured in a clash among the students on the school premises.
The boy succumbed to injuries at Jajpur hospital next day.
As initially, the school teachers did not inform the parents, the victim’s father filed an FIR against school teachers for negligence of duty at Nihalprasad police station. Gondia Block Education Officer Mousumi Sahoo is also conducting a departmental inquiry into case.
In another incident, a student of Santhapur High School committed suicide after being mentally disturbed by the comments of another student in the school in April.
Similarly, a Class IV student’s hand was fractured in an accident at Hindi-Nepali Primary School here last week.
Three months back, a 15-day-old baby girl was found abandoned near stadium here and rescued by district administration. At present, the child is being looked after at newborn care unit in Maharshi Dayananda Service Mission here.
In another child rights violation case, two teachers of Mugapatna Upper Primary School in Hindol were suspended by the District Education Officer (DEO) for engaging students in school construction work recently. The incident came to light when Collector Roopa Roshan Sahoo visited the school and found the children engaged in work. She directed the DEO to take action against the school teachers responsible.
Meanwhile, CWC Chairperson Antaryami Rath has issued showcause notice to District Child Protection Officer (DCPO) over irregularities in executing panel’s order on child rights.
DCPO Anuradha Goswami said child rights issues need to be addressed collectively. Meanwhile, the Collector has called a coordination meeting in the first week of July to resolve the issues.