PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
Acting on a complaint regarding Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) in Raipur, the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR) inspected a private school and found it to be violating nearly every child safety norm. Issues identified included overcrowded classrooms, unsafe staircases, unhygienic toilets and non-functional fire equipment. The commission officials said that Dayal Singh, along with the commission team, had taken the matter seriously and immediately visited to investigate the issues.
The preliminary inquiry revealed that the children involved are residents of the Raipur area of Dehradun. As part of a thorough investigation, the commission team visited the private school and identified several serious deficiencies and irregularities related to child safety, health, education and basic facilities. The commission also discovered that the school principal had reportedly been informed about the incident previously. However, there was no indication that the alleged sexual abuse involving a child had been reported to the police, as required by the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Furthermore, despite the child being identified as a student of the school, the child was allegedly prevented from attending.
Officials said that the commission has taken serious note of the situation and recommended appropriate legal action. The commission has urged Raipur Police, Dehradun, to investigate the child sexual abuse material-related complaint and initiate appropriate legal proceedings under applicable cybercrime and POCSO provisions. The commission would seek a report on actions taken from the police, the officials added.
They further said that the commission team had further uncovered several serious deficiencies concerning the safety and basic facilities available to children at the school. Approximately 450 students were found studying in an area of around 250 square metres, which appears highly inadequate given the number of students.
The school is accessed via a narrow lane approximately 15 feet wide, raising serious concerns about the safe evacuation of children in case of an emergency. While fire extinguishers were available on the premises, they were found to be non-functional and lacked clearly visible safety markings. Additional deficiencies were also identified. The officials said that the commission had also received reports of alleged harsh and inappropriate behavior by a teacher towards a child, which has been taken seriously by the commission.
In light of the serious deficiencies observed during the inspection, the commission has directed the school principal to appear before the commission with all relevant school records, recognition/affiliation documents, and the educational qualifications and certificates of the teaching staff.
This aside, the commission has written to the Education department seeking a detailed report regarding the school’s recognition, functioning and the facilities provided to the children.
The commission reiterated that any negligence related to unsafe infrastructure, inadequate space, fire and electrical safety, unhygienic conditions or violations of child-protection laws, including the POCSO Act, will not be tolerated.
