NEWSLINKS
US EDITION
COLUMNISTS
DIARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
ELECTIONS
ARCHIVES

Search Rediff

Rediff Shopping

Shop & gift from thousands of products!   Books     Music       Apparel   Jewellery   Flowers   More..      Safe Shopping

Death stalks children's home in Jaipur

Kamla Bora in Jaipur

Sheer carelessness is resulting in a number of deaths of abandoned children at the state-run home in Jaipur.

With the death of three more infants in the first week of the month, the number of deaths at the home, run by the Rajasthan government's social welfare department, has risen to 30 since January this year.

There were 71 infants at the only institution of its kind in Rajasthan. Seven died last month, while three died on September 1, 3 and 7. Three others are battling for life at the Jaykaylone mother and children hospital.

There was a hue and cry when nine children died at the home last September, forcing the state government to announce steps to improve functioning of the home. But soon everything was forgotten.

The state's women's commission, which investigated the functioning of the children's home, after reporting many deaths last year, came out with some startling facts.

It revealed, in a report submitted to the state government, that 47 per cent children admitted to the home failed to survive due to improper or inadequate care.

The government admitted in the state assembly early this year that 118 children had died at the home between 1994 and 1999.

The state government had issued notices under civil services rules to then superintendent of the children's home Rosy Antony, nurses Asha Rathore and A G Soloman and then district children's officer Ashok Kumar Jangir, for being negligent last year. But an inquiry against them continues.

An announcement by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, for the construction of an air-conditioned nursery, has remained on paper, with the home operating from a cramped two-room accommodation which lacks facilities.

The women's commission recommendations, to bring about basic changes in the home's functioning, are collecting dust at the state secretariat.

Describing the home as a 'prison', the commission had recommended the posting of trained staff, 24-hour availability of a child specialist, arrangements for separate upkeep of sick children and reservation of some beds in the city's children's hospital for inmates of home.

It also suggested constitution of an advisory committee, with participation from the non-government sector, to monitor the home's functioning.

The commission also wanted a visitors' committee for surprise checks, besides a governing body comprising child specialists, nursery experts and representatives of voluntary agencies.

Back to top

Tell us what you think of this report