Delhi: 5 adoption agencies asked for details

Following a complaint with the Central Information Commission about non-compliance, the Delhi government has issued show cause notice to five adoption agencies across the city asking why they should not be de-recognised. Nivedita Khandekar reports.

Following a complaint with the Central Information Commission (CIC) about non-compliance, the Delhi government has issued show cause notice to five adoption agencies across the city asking why they should not be de-recognised.

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The department of women and child welfare (DWCD) of the Delhi government was asked — under the Right to Information (RTI) Act — to submit the number of babies received at the cradles put up by adoption agencies in the city and the number of police cases under relevant sections in these connections for each of the adoption agency homes.

Of the 11 agencies in Delhi, only six came forth with relevant data but despite repeated letters, the remaining five did not comply. Priyanka Sinha, working with an advocacy NGO in the field of child rights, had filed the original application under the RTI Act. After the department failed to comply even after the first appellate authority’s directions, she approached the CIC.

Sinha said she had filed the RTI queries as “my organisation wanted to know the working of adoption agencies. These agencies, which maintain adoption register, are directly answerable to the department of women and child development.”

Sinha also said any discrepancy can lead to suspicion about child trafficking, so it is important to keep track of all data.

Of the five agencies, three are run by SOS Children Villages of India. Said an official from Udayan, one of the homes, they regularly send data to Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) and hence, had no problems with providing data to Delhi government.

With the agencies not complying after the show cause notice under relevant sections of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2000, the department of women and child development now plans to meet them.