New Delhi, Sep 24 The Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) has received a total of 377 complaints, including 38 cases under the POCSO Act, since its reconstitution in July till September, with the highest number of complaints about Right to Education (RTE), according to data released by the child rights body.
Out of the total complaints, 206 were related to RTE, followed by 87 concerning juvenile justice, 38 POCSO cases, 17 cases of missing children, 16 child labour cases, and 13 related to health and nutrition. The commission has also taken suo motu cognisance in 56 cases, it said on Thursday.
The North-West district recorded the highest number of complaints at 61, followed by North-East with 38, East 35, West 34, North 30, South-West and South 41 each, Central 25, South-East 24 and miscellaneous cases 22.
In the wake of the alleged rape of a 17-year-old girl at Astha Kunj Park, the DCPCR has also issued a notice to the deputy commissioner of police concerned, seeking an action taken report within two weeks, said DCPCR chairperson Om Prakash Vyas.
During a press conference outlining the commission’s initiatives, Vyas announced that letters have been sent to the lieutenant governor, chief minister, and the MCD mayor/commissioner, advocating for mandatory regular self-defence classes in schools across Delhi.
Vyas also mentioned that the commission is conducting a city-wide POCSO awareness campaign directed at children, parents, and school staff, focusing on safe and unsafe touch, reporting offences, and mental health counselling.
He said the commission’s child beggar-free Delhi initiative focuses on rescue, long-term care, emotional rehabilitation and mainstreaming of children into formal schools through coordination among different departments.
Under the initiative, the commission has created a mascot, jingles, logo and a slogan, ‘Bheekh nahi Seekh’, for its Child Beggar-Free Delhi campaign, which will be launched within a month, he said, adding that they also launched a child complaint helpline (9220999390) on Tuesday.
“As part of another new initiative, the department will also hire children who were in childcare centres and have attained the age of 18,” Vyas said.
The commission has also conducted field-level inspections of centralised kitchens, Anganwadi centres and food delivery systems as part of Rashtriya Poshan Maah to check the quality of nutrition being provided to infants and lactating mothers, he added.
In July, the Delhi government reconstituted the DCPCR and appointed Vyas as its chairperson. Rahul Gautam, Kundan Kanskar, Swati Gupta and Monika Sharma were appointed as members.
The appointments came nearly three years after the commission fell vacant.
(PTI News)
