Bombay HC wants model plan for children’s homes

To improve the lot of children’s remand and shelter homes, Bombay high court on Wednesday directed the chief architect from the panel of the state of Maharashtra to examine a plan submitted before the court and suggest additions and alterations, if any, in the said plan, so that it could be a model plan with necessary amenities to be replicated across the state.

Unhappy with the condition of these children’s homes in the state, Bombay high court at last hearing had asked the state to draw up a model plan. When that plan was submitted before the court, the court directed that a copy of the plan be given to all concerned parties apart from the state’s chief architect for improvement. The division bench of Justice V.M. Kanade and Justice Swapna Joshi issued this direction while hearing a PIL filed by Kamal Singh over the poor condition of remand and shelter homes for kids all over the state.

During hearing, the bench said, “The condition of shelter and remand homes in Maharashtra is dismal and in most cases, these are in a dilapidated condition. If a model plan is prepared regarding the amenities which can be provided in such homes, it can be implemented all over the state.” The court noted that presently, vocational training centres were there only in remand homes in Pune and Mumbai but no training was being given there due to lack of either classroom space or teachers.

The bench observed that the condition of shelter homes was such that some of these buildings had been constructed 100 years ago and as a result, were overcrowded. “If a model plan is prepared, it can take care of the increasing number of children in shelters/ observation homes for the next 50 years,” said the bench.