HC seeks Delhi govt’s response on shelters for children below 12
NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday sought response from the Delhi government on a plea seeking separate shelter homes for children below the age of 12 years to protect them from sexual assaults.
A Division Bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal asked the Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government to file their response by May 4.
The PIL stated that in Delhi there is not a single camp for children, which are independent of adult homeless persons who take refuge at night.
Children of both sexes below the age of 12 will be exploited if they are sheltered together with the adults, the plea said.
It also added that those adults who take shelters come in an inebriated condition, which in turn will give rise to every possibility that they will harass the children.
“Hence, it would be proper if homeless children are given separate shelters,” said the plea filed by a social worker Salek Chand Jain. Advocate Sugriva Dubey, appearing for Jain, claimed that there is no supervision by the competent persons in these shelters. And, as a result, children are subjected to physical torture and cruelty.
Even drug addicts enter these shelters and molest girls and women but the authorities do not take any action, he contended.
The plea also stated various incidents of sexual assaults on children and women.
It also sought direction to the government that homeless persons be given proper medical assistance and nutritious food.