WARANGAL: The Government Children’s Home for Boys located in Autonagar in Warangal has been shifted to Mahbubabad district after three inmates escaped.
It had been pointed out that the children’s home was located in the same building as the juvenile home linked to the Warangal Central Prison.
As a result, the department for women, children shifted the inmates of the children’s home to Hyderabad and recently took a decision to place them temporarily in the government children’s home in Mahbubabad until a permanent building is constructed for the juvenile home.
The government observation home building meant for children in conflict with the law is in a dilapidated condition. The government children’s home was temporarily shifted out five years ago. Since then, both sets of children have been sharing the building.
While the latest decision addressed the issue of both the homes being run on the same campus, the officials working under various departments dealing with children’s issues including child protection, child welfare. Childline, police, and NGOs complained that shifting the home to Mahbubabad would cause inconvenience as Warangal is the headquarters for 16 districts.
They asked why the juvenile home could not be shifted to the rented accommodation.
They called it unjustified to take away the children’s home to the remote Mahbubabad district as access is not as easy as in Warangal.
Sources who did not wish to be named said the decision was made after some officials contended that there are many children rescued by the
railway and civil police in Mahbubabad who needed care and protection.
“It is a baseless and unscientific contention. Any child rescued by the police in Mahbubabad area should be lodged in the Warangal home by virtue of jurisdiction and by the orders of the child welfare committee, Warangal. It is in the best interest of the children that the government restore the children’s home for boys at Warangal,” the official said.
