Conditions in child protection homes sub-human: CJI

New Delhi, Aug 22 (PTI) Chief Justice of India T S Thakurtoday termed conditions in child protection or observationhomes as "sub-human" and said the government machinery needsto be sensitive towards the issue of trafficked and missingchildren. He assured judiciary’s full support in ensuring justicefor such children but said the responsibility of theirrehabilitation rests with the government and use of technologywas the only solution to deal with the problem of such a hugemagnitude. "Government machinery needs to be sensitive towards thesechildren. Conditions in protection or observation homes aresub-human. Children are kept in objectionable and unhygienicconditions. "The process of rehabilitation of these children isentirely with the government," he said during a programmeorganised here by National Legal Services Authority (NALSA),Delhi State Legal Services Authority (DSLSA) and NobelLaureate Kailash Satyarthi-run NGO Bachpan Bachao Andolan. "Judiciary has always had its concern and will continue todo whatever we can do. Our commitment will remain the samedespite the difficulties and regardless of the number ofjudges we have," the CJI said. "We are conscious of it and are sensitive towards it.Judiciary will always stand by the cause. Judiciary is justone of the limbs. Magnitude of the problem which we are facingtoday is so large that judiciary alone cannot do it," he said. Speaking on the inauguration of ‘National Workshop onRehabilitation of Missing and Trafficked Children’, the CJIsaid technology would play a crucial role in repatriation ofthese children. "We are not being able to use technology in this regard.Technology is the only answer which can held in tackling theproblem of such a magnitude. We have perhaps never consideredthe option of technology when a child is missing or rescued,"he said while referring to the use of technology in countrieslike America to match a rescued person with the missing one. Thakur also said it was "unfortunate’ there was no propercoordination among the agencies concerned regarding suchchildren as the process was "so loose" and "unsatisfactory"which was required to be improved. He said there were various articles in the Constitutionand legislations in favour of rights of children in thecountry and there was no need to add anything. "But the ground reality is different. Everyday 22 childrengoes missing in Delhi and 180 children are missing every dayin the country," he said while referring to the figures of theNational Crime Records Bureau. PTI SKV ABA RKSZMN