NHRC member Kanoongo flags shortcomings in functioning of children's home in UP's Rampur

New Delhi, Aug 27 (PTI) NHRC member Priyank Kanoongo has flagged various shortcomings in the functioning of a "government-run children's home" in Rampur district of Uttar Pradesh and alleged administrative "apathy" in the process for adoption of orphaned children at the facility.

Kanoongo on Wednesday shared an undated video of his inspection of the children's home, in which he looked visibly upset after inquiring from a senior official about the administrative process, and not getting satisfactory answers.

There was no immediate reaction from the Uttar Pradesh government or the related department.

Kanoongo wrote in a Hindi post that the video of the inspection of the government-run children's home in Rampur district has been posted for public awareness and the orientation of officials.

"The condition of the government institution that provides shelter to orphan children is so bad that the superintendent does not even have basic knowledge about children and the Juvenile Justice Act," he lamented.

In the video, the NHRC member even warned of consequences to the superintendent for falling below the mark in his job.

"The superintendent himself is a permanent employee of the government, but all the information is with contractual subordinate employees," he wrote.

The NHRC member flagged that the families of the missing children are "not being traced, biometrics of the abandoned children are not being verified through Aadhaar".

He wrote that "thousands of people are on the waiting list to adopt orphan children, but the indifference of the entire government machinery" towards the process of legally freeing the children for adoption to families seems to be a "serious negligence".

The officer even said that "there is no provision for adoption of children with disability," he added.

"As per the prescribed provisions of the Act, the record of inspection and review of implementation of law by @RampurDm was also not presented; this situation is not right," the NHRC member said in his post. PTI KND RHL