CNS, Sehore
In the wake of harassment coming to light at a hostel — hitherto managed by a non-government organisation — for weak and deaf-mute girl students, the District administration today issued an order bringing the hostel under the administration’s direct care.
Collector Kavindra Kiyawat issued the order. Rajya Shiksha Kendra Commissioner Rashmi Arun Shami and Commissioner (Social Justice) BK Batham inspected the hostel in Mandi area.
On the night of December 15, a team of officials led by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate made a sudden inspection of the hostel and came upon severe irregularities besides the shocking fact that 18 girls were missing.
Child Rights Commission Chairperson Usha Chaturvedi, members Vibhanshu Joshi, Dr RH Lata and Vijay Shukla also made a sudden inspection of the hostel yesterday and found that — in this biting cold — the girls are forced to spend the nights under a tin shed with just one blanket each. There was no food material in the kitchen store.
The girls told the Commission’s members that if they complain they are thrashed, sent to the boys’ hostel and made to wash clothes and utensils.
As per the hostel record, it houses 48 students who are between ages 9 and 14. Of the 18 girls found missing during the SDM’s inspection, nine have been traced.
They went to their homes during the festive season and are yet to return.
Administrative sources expressed the likelihood of the NGO having entered erroneous admission figures with an eye on the government grant.
Ms Chaturvedi has instructed that in case girls are really missing they should be medically examined when retraced.
