NCPCR team criticises child protection committee functioning

A national child rights body today criticised the way in which the child protection committee was operating for the last two years in Jalpaiguri district, the centre of a child trafficking racket.

A two-member National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) team comprising Priyank Kanungo and Yashwant Jain told a press meet here that the committee which was functioning there was an adhoc one.

"How was it allowed to run in this way for the last two years?" they asked.

The team, on a two-day visit to Jalpaiguri, has asked the district administration to provide information about the district magistrate under whom the adhoc committee was formed, the composition of the committee and other relevant details.

After visiting four children's homes in Jalpaiguri district, including in Moynaguri block, the team also criticised the prevailing condition there.

"The authorities of these homes are inexperienced and insensitive towards children," they said.

"Since this area is a gateway to the north-east and neighbouring countries, the authorities should be much more sensitive towards children," they said.

The NCPCR had sent a letter to the district administration seeking clarification on 13 points on March 3 last but had not received a reply till now, the team members said.

The present district magistrate, Rachana Bhagat, has told the team that she would look into it.

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)