HC seeks timeline on infrastructure issue in juvenile homes

The Delhi High Court today directed the Public Works Department (PWD) of the Delhi government to probvide a timeline within which the infrastructure issues of 21 juvenile homes in the capital would be rectified.
A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar also asked the authorities and two amicus curaie, appointed to assist the court, to inspect these homes and give their report on the deficiencies in facilities there and the solutions.
Additional Standing counsel of Delhi government Satyakam, appearing for PWD, assured the court that its earlier order would be complied with and a report along with the timeline within which necessary rectification/additional infrastructure would be carried out, would be filed in 10 days.

The bench was informed that there were a total of 21 government institutions in Delhi -- observation homes, children homes, special homes, child care centres, place of safety and shelter homes.
The bench also asked the principal magistrates of the juvenile justice boards to accompany the team to ensure that all deficiencies are brought to its notice and a report filed.
It fixed the matter for March for further hearing.

The court had earlier expressed anguish over deficiencies in these remand homes due to lack of infrastructure.
It had made strong observations while taking cognisance of a media report that referred to an inspection of a juvenile home here by a Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) team which had received reports of drug and sexual abuse at the facility.

It had appointed advocate Anant Kumar Asthana and child rights activist Bharti Ali as amicus curiaes in the matter.
According to the report, the DCPCR team had inspected Prayas Children's home for boys in Jahangirpuri in north Delhi on December 9, 2017, where it found rat-infested kitchens, dirty toilets with no doors or soaps, and complaints of physical torture.
Recently, some children had fled from the juvenile home.