While lakhs of children staying in different hostels across the State returned home after the managements declared holidays due to lockdown, about 2,800 orphan and semi-orphan children staying in government and private Child Care Institutions (CCIs) remained in the shelter homes.
According to sources, more than five lakh students studying in the government-run Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Backward Classes Residential Schools, private hostels run by schools, colleges, coaching centres and universities returned home as the government declared lockdown till April 14.
“Students from Malaysia, Thailand, China, Japan, US, Canada, Sudan, Tanzania, Australia, and other countries are pursuing engineering and pharmacy courses in various professional colleges across the State. Some thousands of students from Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Manipur, Bihar, Maharashtra, Odisha, and other States are pursuing school and higher education in various schools, junior and degree colleges. They are staying in private and college-attached hostels,” said an official.
With the government declaring holidays, the managements closed the hostels and intimated the same to their parents, who picked up their wards. However, the orphan children staying in the CCIs and the government-run Sishu Gruhas, remained in shelter homes.
Speaking to The Hindu on Wednesday, Krithika Shukla , Director of Juvenile Welfare, Correctional Services and Welfare of Street Children said that instructions were given to the Juvenile Welfare, Women Development and Child Welfare (WD&CW) and other wings to provide all facilities for those staying in the government-run homes and CCIs during the lockdown period.
Handed over to parents
“About 650 CCIs, including 14 Sishu Gruhas, are being run in Andhra Pradesh, and about 21,000 children are in them. The CCI managements have returned about 18,100 children to their parents in all districts,” Ms. Krithika said.
According to the data collected by the Juvenile Welfare Department personnel, about 2,800 orphan, semi-orphan and the children, whose parents or blood relatives have not responded, remained in the CCIs.
“The Juvenile Welfare, WD&CW and the Child Welfare Committees (CWCs) were directed to ensure supply of ration, vegetables, medicines and provide essentials to the orphans staying in CCIs. The WD&CW Project Directors of each district were asked to visit the Sishu Gruhas and check the facilities,” the Director said.
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