Tuesday, 19 December 2023 | PNS | DEHRADUN
The chairperson of the Uttarakhand State Commission for Women (USCW), Kusum Kandwal has asked the secretary of the Women Empowerment and Child Development (WECD) department to ensure strict monitoring in all protection homes and Nari Niketans throughout the State. She directed this in response to a recent incident wherein a minor girl was allegedly raped in a protection home located in Haldwani.
Commenting on the said incident, Kandwal informed that during her visit to Haldwani on December 11, she conducted an inspection at the sub-jail and made a surprise visit to the said protection home. During the inspection, she engaged in conversations with the girls residing there to discuss the available facilities. In the course of these discussions, she observed concerning behaviour of a teenage girl. Upon further conversation, she gained information about the matter from the teenager’s perspective, she said.
Concerning this matter, she stated that following the visit, she has asked the secretary of the WECD department Hari Chand Semwal to conduct an investigation into the issue at the protection home. She further expressed her satisfaction that the department took decisive action by suspending the two employees allegedly involved in the incident. She said that the said incident is both grave and disgraceful. The department has formed a team to swiftly pursue appropriate measures based on the investigation, ensuring that the accused individuals are suspended and that justice is served to the victim, she added.
Needs complete revamping of these homes. The very mention of these homes invokes dark image.