Four shelter homes raided in Malkangiri

Malkangiri: Continuing its drive against illegal shelter homes, the officials of Malkangiri district administration raided four shelter homes at MV-7 village in the district on Wednesday.

Acting on a tip off, a joint team of Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) conducted searches at Gayatri Tutorial, Saraswati Tutorial, Talent and Ganesh Tutorial of the village.

During the raids, the officials found inmates of the shelter homes living in a very unhygienic condition with as many as 20 children being kept in a single room. Besides, authorities of the shelter homes charged Rs 20,000 from each inmate.

“There are 48 girls and 35 boys in the shelter home. We charge Rs 20,000 to Rs 22,000 yearly for accommodation and food,” said the owner of the shelter homes.

An official of the CWC, Ashok Kumar Patnaik informed, "After getting information, we conducted the raids and examined the condition in which the children have been kept at these hostels. Undoubtedly authorities of these shelter homes have violated the norms of National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR).”

The matter will be intimated to the Malkangiri Collector following which action will be taken for rehabilitation of the children, added the official.