Rights body wants timely interaction of siblings living in separate homes
The Rajasthan Human Rights Commission has observed that kids who are brought to children’s homes should be allowed timely interaction with their siblings living in other such facilities.
In an order on March 3, the commission had written to the department of child rights asking it to ensure that no such sibling is not separated. “We have observed that if siblings are not allowed to meet with each other and are eventually separated from each other then it leads to an irreparable and inhuman loss,” the commission observed.
The commission also gave examples of one or two instances wherein siblings were separated after they were put into different children’s homes by the respective child welfare committees (CWCs).
The commission had asked the department of child rights last year to furnish all details of siblings who were separated.
“After the commission’s order, we searched through all our records and tracked down cases dating back to 2003. We helped to unite these separated siblings before sending a detailed report to the commission following which the commission lauded our efforts,” said NL Mina, the director of child welfare. Mina said the commission has recommended the inclusion of children who are found together at the time of rescue.
“The commission has said that apart from siblings, the government should also facilitate timely interaction of children who at the time of each other were staying together. This has been done in order to ensure that their bonds are not lost living in separate homes,” said Mina.
The forest department will manage Haathi Gaon like a zoo, on the lines of Nahargarh Biological Park. We will develop it; an action plan has been prepared
The state government plans to shift the management of the Haathi Gaon (elephant village) in Jaipur from the tourism to the forest department to give the tourism project a facelift, officials said.
The government hired a consultant to prepare an ₹8-crore action plan to improve the condition of the elephant village.
India’s first elephant village, launched in 2010 to attract tourists, is in a sorry state now. The project for more than 100 elephants and their mahouts aimed at providing a natural park-like shelter for jumbos with plantations and creating attractions for tourists. “Earlier the village was managed by the Amber Development and Management Authority (ADMA); the tourism department was later given the responsibility,” a senior forest department official said on condition of anonymity.
“With the tourism department lacking in experience and expertise to handle the village, it is being considered to transfer the management to the forest department.”
Though elephants are paraded to the Amber fort for the tourists, they live in a pitiable state at the Haathi Gaon.
“The forest department will manage Haathi Gaon like a zoo, on the lines of Nahargarh Biological Park,” the official said.
“We will develop it; an action plan has been prepared through a consultant – under which development works will be carried out with ₹8 crore. The works will be executed by the Jaipur Development Authority,” he said.
The works will include landscaping, plantation, deepening of water bodies, and adding more sheds for elephants, the official said. “Overall, the effort is to improve the habitat.”
An office-bearer of Haathi Malik Vikas Samiti said, “It seems that after launching the project in 2010, the government forgot it. From ADMA, the elephant village was transferred to the tourism department in 2014; thereafter the situation here started deteriorating.”
He said water scarcity hit plantations. “There is no one to take care of the project.”
He said 116 elephants and 51 families stay in the village.
“We charge a tourist ₹1100 for a ride, of which we get ₹850 and the rest is deducted as tax – including ₹60 for development of village and ₹30 for welfare fund. The tax is charged but there is no development works or maintenance,” he said.