Following a Punjab and Haryana high court directive, Aparna Bhardwaj, chief judicial magistrate (CJM)-cum-secretary of the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), inspected Shishu Greh, a child care institution in Sector-15 on September 2 and found children in a state of neglect.
During her visit, Bhardwaj observed numerous serious lapses in the care provided to the infants. A primary concern was the inattentiveness of the caretakers, many of whom were found scrolling on their phones instead of taking care of the children.
In one distressing case, an infant was allegedly left unattended after vomiting, with his face and hair covered with vomit. The caretaker present in the room was reportedly engrossed in her phone. In another instance, a caretaker ignored an infant with wet pants, demonstrating a casual and unprofessional approach that directly endangers the children’s well-being.
The inspection also revealed significant infrastructural issues. The ceilings of the reception area and the in-charge’s room were leaking, creating an unhygienic environment. Further, several CCTV cameras, crucial for monitoring the facility, were non-functional despite previous directives from authorities to repair them.
Bhardwaj said that similar issues were also identified in a previous inspection and a detailed letter was sent to the deputy commissioner in May. While some temporary improvements were made at the time, the recent visit indicates that the staff have reverted to their negligent habits.
{{/usCountry}}Bhardwaj said that similar issues were also identified in a previous inspection and a detailed letter was sent to the deputy commissioner in May. While some temporary improvements were made at the time, the recent visit indicates that the staff have reverted to their negligent habits.
{{/usCountry}}Given the severity of the situation, Bhardwaj has once again written to the secretary of the Women and Child Development (WCD) department, highlighting the urgent need for intervention to ensure the safety of the infants.
She has recommended intensifying surprise inspections by district-level officials to hold staff accountable. She stressed that strict monitoring and disciplinary action are essential to prevent such incidents from recurring, emphasising that the welfare of these dependent children must be the top priority.