Andaman juvenile home in horrible condition: NHRC

Port Blair, June 01: Former Director of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and present member of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) P C Sharma today made a surprise visit to the juvenile home of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and found the conditions 'horrible'.

The Juvenile Home situated in Port Blair, the capital city of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, is a home for nearly 19 juveniles, among which 14 are from Thailand and Burma living under pathetic conditions.

Following some complaints Mr Sharma today made a surprise visit accompanied by the lone MP of the islands Manoranjan Bhakta.
Uponm reaching he found that the conditions were horrible, fans were not working, toilet blocks were locked and the condition was worse than a jail. It also came to the notice that the Superintendent and the probation officer of the Juvenile Home rarely visited the place and the whole show was run by 14 Group-D staff.

There were also no arrangements for proper recreation for the children, who looked confused and scared during the visit. As per Juvenile Justice Act, the Superintendent of any Juvenile Home should live inside the campus and should taste every meal himself before the children, but in Andaman the Superintendent reportedly visits the place 'rarely'.

"Senior officials do not sit here because they find the conditions of the Juvenile home pathetic, then think about these children how they live," Sharma told sources in Port Blair.

He also directed the police, who accompanied him to make serious efforts to repatriate all the children of Thailand and Burma from Port Blair as soon as possible. All these 14 children were caught with poachers by Coast Guard and Andaman police, while poaching in Andaman Sea.

"These children should not be treated as ordinary criminals or with poachers," the NHRC member added. Manoranjan Bhakta assured to take up the matter at his level. "I am shocked to see the condition inside Juvenile Home," Bhakta told sources.

According to sources, there are many cases where children after attaining the age of 18 and leaving this Juvenile Home, committed some other crimes and were sent to the District Jail of Andaman, defeating the purpose of setting up a Juvenile Home.

PC Sharma the NHRC member told reporters that there is a clear violation of Juvenile Justice Act in Andaman and he will be taking up this matter in his level through National Human Right commission.

UNI