The government is contemplating taking action against orphanages which are run without official permission, said Women and Child Welfare Minister Umashree.
She interacted with the media after a meeting with the chairpersons of the committees of child welfare and representative, on Monday.
The minister said many orphanages do not have government permission. As these institutions are not receiving any government grants there has been no need to give information regarding permissions.
The government has not been able to keep a tab on the welfare of children in such institutions, she said. There are complaints that orphanages are trafficking children and also encourage illegal adoptions. Rules would have to be framed to check such activities, she said.
Children drugged
Further she said there are complaints that playhomes are drugging children with sleep inducing medicines. Officials are preparing guidelines to govern play homes and a circular will be issued soon, she added.
She also admitted that there is a lack of co-ordination among various departments to protect children’s rights.
The welfare committees have been directed to attend to cases pending before them. There are 1,345 cases pending in Bengaluru pertaining to atrocities against children, 870 in Dharwad, 600 in Vijayapura and 456 in Koppal district.
For the last two months, the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR) is functioning without members.
The appointment of members has been delayed owing to the BBMP polls. The Department of Women and Child Welfare has initiated the process but the file is still with the minister concerned, according to sources in the department. KSCPCR Chairperson Kripa Alva said the Commission is making plans to appoint members on a permanent basis this time.
No delay
Responding to a question on why filing the charge sheet in the Raghaveshwarabharati Swami case has been delayed, Minister Umashree said there should be no delay in investigating cases of atrocity against women and children. She said she would be writing to the Home Minister in this regard.