The officers of Shivamogga district had a tough time answering the chairperson and the members of the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights during a review meeting in Shivamogga on Tuesday.
The members of the commission, at one point, expressed shock over the lack of action with regard to the safety of children in residential schools and opined that they were disappointed with the implementation of the Karnataka State Child Protection Policy 2016.
The review meeting was convened under the commission’s chairperson, K. Naggan Gowda. He and the members reviewed the responsibilities and schemes handled by various departments, including women and child development, education, social welfare, and health.
While reviewing the children’s safety measures in residential schools, the members raised the issue of alleged child sexual abuse reported in a hostel in the district a few months ago. A watchman posted at the hostel allegedly sexually abused several girls in the hostel.
The officers of the Social Welfare Department failed to furnish details on the action taken against the staff members, whose negligence led to the crime. Unsatisfied with the response, the members took the officer to task. They opined that they were under the impression that in Shivamogga, being one of the developed districts, the rights of children were well protected. However, the actual situation was opposite.
The officers of the Health Department did not have data related to surprise inspections at scanning centres, stillbirths, immunisation among children aged above 10, among other issues. The members felt that the officers had come with no preparations for the meeting. Many officers failed to answer questions related to their responsibilities as per the child protection policy and the provisions of the Protection of Children against Sexual Offences Act, 2012.
Deputy Commissioner Gurudatt Hegde, zilla panchayat Chief Executive Officer N. Hemanth, members of the commission Shashidhar Kosambe, Thippeswamy K.T., S. Manju, Venkatesh, and Aparna M. Kolla were present.
Published – May 20, 2025 08:31 pm IST
