Subject : Improvement of the conditions of the Juvenile lodged at Juvenile Justice Home, Fatasil                Ambari, Guwahati.

Sir,

We have made a representation dated 7.8.2006 to your good-self on implementation of provisions of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 in the State of Assam on the basis of visit made by us to Juvenile Observation Home, Jorhat. Various other steps were also requested to be taken. Hon’ble the Gauhati High Court was kind enough to register our representation as Public Interest Petition (WP No.4183/2006) and various orders have been passed from time to time. The aforesaid writ petition is pending before the Gauhati High Court.

On 20th December 2006, members of the Forum visited Juvenile Observation Home, Fatasil Ambari, Guwahati, Assam in the presence of Smt. Aruna Debi, Chief Judicial Magistrate, Guwahati, Incharge, Juvenile Justice Board, Guwahati and Mr. F.U.A Laskar, Member Secretary, Assam Legal Services Authority. The Forum organized for the distribution of blankets and sleepers to all the inmates through a socially committed local person. The members of the Forum along with the officers present shared a meal with the inmates.

There were 81 children, out of whom 51 were delinquent children having acted in conflict with law and rest were destitute children. All the delinquent children were kept in a single cramped room admeasuring 25 ft. x 30ft. which did not have even the basic toilet facilities. These Juveniles were kept locked up at night in the said room as the boundary wall of the Observation Home was broken at many places and there was no proper fencing. The toilet was located at a distance of about 150 ft. away from the said room and there was only one night sentinel who keeps guard during the night. Due to security reasons the children had to pass urine from the windows and if any one has to pass soil, they have to do so in the same room in the night. These speak of inhuman condition in which the Juveniles are kept.

Upon being informed that a large number of the children lodged in the Juvenile Observation Home were suffering from various diseases, the Forum organized for a medical check up of all those having health problems. Dr. M.P.Bajaj, Senior Child Specialist, Dr. Surojeet Majumdar, Child Specialist; Dr. Geetima, Child Specialist and Dr. Sthapana Sharma, Community Medicine Specialist examined these children. After due examination, the doctors found that:

• "Most of the children are suffering from contagious conditions like scabies, chicken pox and other viral and fungal skin diseases.
• Almost all of them are anemic and deficient of Vitamin A and other vital vitamins.
• There is lack of basic health services like vaccination, regular health check up, de-worming, vitamin, mineral and iron supplementation.
• The children need proper nutrition.
• The Observation Home lacks basic hygiene facilities which in-turn adversely affects the health of the inmates.
• Due to presence of sexually active children, there is urgent need for regular screening for HIV and Hepatitis B and C .Proper sex education also needs to be imparted to prevent AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.

The Forum supplied the requisite medicines prescribed by the treating doctors to the 24 children who needed immediate medical care.

The Doctors have, inter alia, made the following specific recommendations for the overall improvement of the children lodged in the Observation Home:

1. Complete segregation of delinquents and destitutes.
2. Segregation of sexually mature and immature children.
3. Proper healthy nutrition and safe drinking water.
4. Vaccination.
5. Regular health check up and vitamin and mineral supplementation.
6. Periodic HIV screening.
7. Counseling by Psychologist and Social worke