Orphaned child cradles cry for authorities' care

ALAPPUZHA: Ammathottils  (child cradles) were supposed to be the last refuge of  infants abandoned by their mothers in the state but the kids can no longer feel safe there as most of them are in a state of degradation due to the absence of  proper monitoring.

The  State Child Welfare Council, which is responsible for the maintenance of the 15 such facilities,  admitted to DC that  there was  no monitoring system  to take care of  Ammathottils.   

Realising the plight  of the Ammathottil in Pathanamthitta that had received at least 22 infants during the  last five years,  the  Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR) had   issued an order on December 31 last urging the council to conduct a check on all ammathottil facilities in the state and submit a report. But, nothing has happened so far.

As per the council data, as many as 300 newborns were saved through the  ammathottils  across the state since 2001, when the first one was set up.

Administrative officer of  the council  Muhammad Ismail said that the maintenance of  ammathottils had been entrusted with Sahya Valley Technologies (P) Ltd, Thiruvananthapuram.

“There were two technicians with the company, but one of them died recently. So, the shortage  of hands  hit the maintenance work.  Earlier, the child welfare council units in  every district were conducting  regular monitoring. But,  they have  been replaced by child welfare committees, which enjoy judicial power. So, we cannot force them  to do  monitoring. This has  resulted in the degradation of  most  ammathottils,”  he said.

Ms J. Sandhya, member, KSCPCR, said that the commission was waiting for the report from the State Child Welfare Council.