'1,500 juveniles live in pathetic conditions in Mumbai shelter

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Nearly 1,500 juveniles, either destitute or found to be in conflict with the law, live under appalling conditions in all the seven shelter homes in Mumbai, the Maharashtra government today told the Bombay High Court.

Shocked by the government's admission, the high court ordered the social welfare department to immediately sanction the proposal to fill up staff vacancies in the shelter homes.

According to a government affidavit submitted before the court, the juvenile inmates constantly battle problems of poor infrastructure, and inadequate staff and budget allocation.

"The seven shelter homes in Mumbai, run by (NGO) Children's Aid Society, are cramped for space and there is only one attendant and two cooks to look after the children in each shelter home," it said.

The affidavit highlighted the plight of 350 mentally- challenged inmates at a special home in suburban Mankhurd.

"They have just one attendant to look after them, and in the absence of any rehabilitation programme, most mentally disabled inmates end up living in the juvenile home for life," it said.

Shockingly, the oldest of the inmates is 76 years old, according to the affidavit.

Appalled at the submissions, a bench of justices Naresh Patil and N W Sambre asked the principal secretary of the state social welfare department to immediately sanction the proposal to fill up staff vacancies in these homes.

The bench summoned the government health officer and a senior official from the social justice department on the next date of hearing to provide it an account of the facilities given to the children in these facilities.

"You are telling us that these children are left to the care of just one attendant and some cleaning and cooking staff in each home? And worse, 350 mentally-disabled inmates are left to the care of a single attendant? They have just been left to the mercy of God?" the bench said.

"And why can't the shelter homes be renovated and expanded to ensure there is adequate space and infrastructure for each inmate?" it said.

"Also, tell us how much money do you spend on children in these homes," it said.

The court was hearing a PIL alleging that a senior official of the Children's Aid Society had called bar dancers to the shelter home in Mankhurd on New Year Eve in 2012.

As per the plea, the juvenile inmates were forced to watch the performances by bar dancers. The petitioner urged the court to direct the government to take stock of the conditions in all juvenile homes across Maharashtra.

The NGO looks after the day-to-day operation of the seven shelter homes in Mumbai, funded by the state government.

Government counsel Ashok Patki, however, told the court that a lack of space in Mumbai was a major impediment to the expansion and upgradation of these shelter homes.

The bench shot back saying, "For so many other projects this government never faces a shortage of space but for these children you are suddenly citing space crunch as an excuse?"

"This is an urgent matter and the government must treat this on a priority basis," it said.

As per the affidavit, around 76 sanctioned posts at the juvenile shelter homes in the city are lying vacant.

The matter will be heard again towards the end of this month.

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