Delhi govt told to furnish info on minors orphaned due to Covid-19

NEW DELHI: The Delhi high court on Thursday said it was “dismayed” that though the Juvenile Justice Act was notified in 2015, little progress has been made regarding the foster care of children.

A bench of justices Vipin Sanghi and Jasmeet Singh said there was no mechanism for sponsoring foster care of children who were rendered orphans by the Covid-19 pandemic and are in a vulnerable situation due to the loss of one or both parents.

“We are dismayed that even though the JJ act has been notified 2015 and there is a separate department in Delhi government with a complete mandate, little progress appears to be made.… It appears... there has been some feverish activity as if to show that Delhi government has woken to the reality,” the court said.

Senior advocate Rahul Mehra, who appeared for the Delhi government, said efforts are being made to rectify the situation.

The court replied that the government is bound by its statement that steps are being taken and must comply with timelines.

During the hearing, the court also directed the Delhi government to take steps to gather information on minors who have been rendered orphans by the pandemic.

“Loss of one or both parents not only damages children, but also puts them in a vulnerable situation which could be manipulated to their disadvantage,” the court said.

It directed various departments of Delhi government to call all RWAS, police stations, schools and hospitals to give information on children who lost one or both parents. It asked the secretary (health) of the Delhi government to issue directions to all hospitals to furnish information of patients who were survived by children to the department of Women and Child Development without delay.

Advocate Prabhsahay Kaur, representing NGO Bachpan Bachao Andolan, submitted that there was a complete lack of information on the number of children made orphans by the pandemic, or their identities.