Functioning of Child Welfare Committees (CWCs) in Karnataka

A study




By
P P Baburaj
Mysore






Commissioned by
______________________________________________________
SAATHI
VPS Nilayam, First Main, II Stage,
Oklipuram, Bangalore- 560 021.
Phone: 080- 23323088, 23131305
Email: sathib@vsnl.net


CONTENTS

List of Acronyms

Acknowledgement

Executive Summary

Chapter 1
Introduction

Chapter 2
Methodology

Chapter 3
Part I
North Karnataka

Part II
South Karnataka


Chapter 4
Findings

Chapter 5
Recommendations


Conclusion







LIST OF ACRONYMS

ACDPO Assistant Child Development Program Officer
APMC
AW Anganwadi Worker
BCM Backward Communities and Minorities Department
CLPRA Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act
CWC Child Welfare Committee
BEO Block Education Officer
BCH Children’s Home for Boys
CACL Campaign Against Child Labour
CDPO Child Development Program Officer
CWO Child Welfare Officer
DC Deputy Commissioner
DD Deputy Director
DDPI Deputy Director of Public Instruction
DHO District Health Officer
DLASA District Legal Aid Services Authority
DoE Department of Education
DoL Department of Labour
DSW Department of Social Welafare
DWCD Department of Women and Child Development
FI Fit Institution
FP Fit Person
GO Government Order
GoK Government of Karnataka
GP Gram Panchayat
ICDS Integrated Child Development Scheme
JJA Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act, 2000
JJB Juvenile Justice Board
KCCW Karnataka Council for Child Welfare
KHPT Karnataka Health Promotion Trust
KIMS Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences
KMC Karnataka Medical College
MSV Makkala Sahaya Vani
MSW Master of Social Work
NIPCCD National Institute for Public Cooperation and Child Development
NCLP National Child Labour Project
NGO Non Government Organisation
PO Probation Officer
FIR First Information Report
OBC Other Backward Castes
RDPR Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj
RSS Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh
SC Scheduled Caste
SCLP State Child Labour Project
SDMC School Development & Monitoring Committee
SHG Self Help Group
SHRC State Human Rights Commission
SIR Social Investigation Report
SJPU Special Juvenile Police Unit
SP Superintendent of Police
SSA Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (Education for All)
ST Scheduled Tribe
ZP Zilla Panchayat
Acknowledgment

Completion of this study owes largely on Mr Basavaraj Shali, Deputy Secretary of SATHI who recognized my capability and motivated me to take it up. I am grateful to Mr Pramod Kulkarni, Director of SATHI who wished the best for this study as it would later help strengthen the child protection mechanism in the districts. My gratitude goes to SATHI governing body members who have formulated a policy of promoting such relevant studies through independent consultants, and the office team in Bangalore for their concurrent support.
Child Welfare Committee functionaries in the districts have greatly helped me by sharing their valuable experiences, challenges and, problems they faced during their tenure. Majority of them has overwhelmingly received me and spent their valuable time with me on short notice to make this study a feasible one.
I am thankful to Superintendents, Probation Officers and Counselors of Children’s Homes for their cooperation during my visit to the districts.
I am thankful to Mr Prakash Kamath who has helped randomly outline the texture of this report.
Completion of this study wouldn’t have been possible without the patient cooperation of Usha and dearest daughter Emily at home.

P.P.Baburaj








Executive Summary

Looking closely at the functioning of CWCs in Karnataka was an initiative taken up by SATHI, Bangalore which has been working on strengthening juvenile justice system in the country. The study on all the functioning CWCs in the state was taken up during September 2009-March 2010.
The objectives of the study were to understand the methodology of handling children’s cases that come before CWC in the state, assess and document the best, unusual and wrong practices of CWCs in dealing with children, understand how the component of qualities of CWC members does make a difference in decision making process and estimate the role and involvement of DWCD and other departments in the effective functioning of CWCs in the state.
All CWCs functioning in the state were the target groups of this study. Out of 28 districts, 25 districts do have CWCs. Chikamagalur, Ramanagaram, Bangalore Rural were removed by the Government earlier. During the study period, Dakshina Kannada CWC also was removed. Hence, 25 CWCs have been visited to collect relevant information for this study.
The methodology used in this study were collating case studies that are available with SATHI and independent researchers who have worked on it, collecting data from CWCs through telephone or internet and personal visits to each CWC to get a first hand data. Interaction with CWC functionaries at the personal level also was helpful to collect data.
The findings in the study are profound and need immediate attention for rectification of the system. Some CWCs have set a best practice in the style of sitting as a bench of Magistrates. The Chairperson sits in the centre and the members on the left and right sides. In many CWCs, chairperson sits separately reminding the principal’s chamber. A large number of CWCs have worked effectively with commitment of at least a few chairpersons/members. Recruitment to the vacant positions in CWC after the resignation of functionaries does not take place. In districts like Gulbarga, Chamarajanagar, Kolar, Bellary, Hassan, Haveri, Uttara Kannada or Bangalore, the remaining members somehow manage the proceedings sometimes without a quorum. If one member is absent, a situation emerges wherein sitting cannot be conducted. Retired persons find CWC as an exposure to a new arena of child affairs after their retirement. However, it was found that they were unable to initiate innovative actions in rehabilitation of children.
Majority of the functionaries in CWCs does not have the mandatory prior experience of seven years in child related activities. Though post graduates (in some places, graduates too) have been appointed, most of their involvement in child related activities has started only after joining CWC only.
Chairpersons of Kolar, Bellary, UK, Haveri, Bangalore Urban-I, Bagalkot and Udupi CWCs are women. However, in districts like Bidar, Raichur and Chamarajanagar, woman’s representation has not been ensured in the bench. In some CWCs like Davanagere, Kodagu, Dharwad, Chamarajanagar, Uttara Kannada, where women were appointed have either resigned or become irregular in attendance.
A good number of CWCs do not have a counselor. Professional counseling is very significant in rehabilitation of children and a major tool of CWC. However, a few CWCs including Bangalore Urban still function without counselors. Bangalore CWC has been able to augment the support of a counselor from a NGO for counseling the children and parents regularly. This has eased the burden of CWC.
New born babies are sent by CWCs to Shishu Gruh in Gulbarga or Hubli in North Karnataka as there are no licensed adoption agencies in the respective districts. CWCs need to declare them legally free for adoption after due enquiry and legal procedures before giving in adoption. However, it is done by Gulbarga and Dharwad CWCs irrespective of the districts babies come from. Hassan CWC has initiated a best practice of giving children above 6 years in adoption from Children’s Home. However, the procedures are done through licensed adoption agency.
Fit Institution and Fit Person are significant alternatives in rehabilitating children. Bangalore, Gulbarga, Belgaum and Mysore have set good practice in this regard. In Bangalore, there are about 50 Fit Persons with whom children are sent regularly for short stay. However, other CWCs have not at all thought of such alternative initiatives.
CWCs across the state do not have uniform days or timings for their sittings. The number of sittings varies from three days in a week to once in 15 days. Bidar conducts sittings thrice in a week while Chitradurga, Bijapur and Kodagu hold sittings once in 15 days. Dharwad, Belgaum, Bellary, Koppal, Raichur and Mandya hold it once in a week while Uttara Kannada conducts sittings at least three in a month and other CWCs hold sittings twice in a week.
Some CWCs have established rapport or contact with police or Health department at a personal level while other CWCs have not made any effort in establishing such efforts. There is no evidence of coordination amongst DoL, DSW, RDPR, DoE and CWC. Coordination or periodical discussion with JJB does not take place in any district. Majority of CWCs believes that child labour does not come under its purview and therefore sends the cases to DoL. If children are below 14 years, they are housed in the residential school run under SCLP or NCLP in the district. Although child trafficking, child labour, child marriage, child beggary, cruelty on children and other forms of exploitation are rampant, number of such cases produced before CWCs is contradictorily quite low.
NGO participation with CWC is very poor in majority of districts. In each district, one or two NGOs out of 30-40 active NGOs produce children for their rehabilitation. As per the amendment in 2006, every NGO running residential centres for children has to be registered under JJA. However, none has come forward to register under the Act in any district other than in Mysore. Interestingly, though CWC functionaries represent NGOs, participation of NGOs is abysmally poor.
Majority of CWCs has not utilized the services of CWOs in the police station for social investigation of children. Many of them have not issued directions to polie to register FIR against perpetrators in child related cases.
Udupi CWC does have only three members. The earlier CWC members were terminated and later reconstituted with new members two of whom come from Shimoga district CWC. On the contradictory, one of them is Chairperson of Shimoga CWC. Chairperson is a woman from Udupi who does not have much experience in JJ mechanism or child related activities. Government has set a precedence of bad taste by appointing the sitting members of Shimoga for Udupi.
A large number of functionaries appointed to CWC do not demonstrate depth of knowledge in JJ mechanism. It has showcased the absence of effective and periodical trainings for CWC functionaries. Training of all functionaries has to be made mandatory. CWCs do not have a reference library wherein the related Acts like IPC, Cr PC, CLPRA, Bonded Labour Abolition Act, Child Marriage Prohibition Act, RTI, RTE, Indian Constitution, etc could be placed.
What is required to do with a view to strengthen the system is setting up of a monitoring committee headed by a Senior Sessions Judge to review the orders of CWCs periodically. This would definitely help CWCs improve their capacity in decision making and keep them in right track in delivering juvenile justice. This would also check the chances of favoritism of CWC functionaries in making decisions.
The documentation in CWCs needs to be streamlined across the state, as per the provisions of JJA. Similarly, a coordination mechanism at the district level involving all the concerned department heads has to be in place to ease the rehabilitation and reintegration of children.
CWCs require systematic and progressive augmentation of human and financial resources from time to time for its strengthening in each district to end violence and exploitation of children. The Government has to take decisions in this direction.













Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION

Child Welfare Committees (CWCs) have been functioning in Karnataka since 2004, for the care and protection of children below 18 years. The Government of Karnataka has taken steps to set up CWC in every district, under Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000. Though training and orientation was given to the CWC functionaries in the initial period by the department of Women and Child Development (DWCD), it was only a little contribution to what it should have been.
Children, especially vulnerable sections thereof, are produced before CWCs for their proper care and rehabilitation. CWCs make critical decisions on them, which turn to be the turning point in their lives. The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act 2000 and 2006 has set a benchmark provisions to ensure protection of rights of children, which each CWC is complied to. On a preliminary assessment by SATHI and other independent researchers, each CWC has attained individual identity by performing in its own capacity. This obviously has shown that there are performing and non-performing CWCs in the state under the JJ(C&P) Act. Some CWCs have done extremely well while some others have demonstrated poor.
There are best practices and well handled situations in each CWC with regard to children’s rehabilitation and follow up. It is equally important to note that qualities of members in CWC do matter while deciding on a case. Knowledge of the Act, concern about children, enough time to spend for them etc do make a difference in the functioning of CWC. Administrative support and cooperation of DWCD is a critical factor for the effective functioning of CWC. However, these factors, positive or negative, have, unfortunately, never been documented in Karnataka. An assessment of these vital aspects would definitely be a benchmark in the process of strengthening the JJ mechanism. As a prelude to this exercise, best practices, wrong practices, unusual and best case studies handled by CWCs, qualities of functionaries, examples of cooperation by and with department have been compiled in this study.

Chapter 2
METHODOLOGY
This study was undertaken with the following objectives:
2.1 Objectives
 Understanding the methodology of handling children’s cases that come before CWC in the state.
 Assessing and documenting the best, unusual and wrong practices of CWCs in dealing with children.
 Understanding how the component of qualities of CWC members does make a difference in decision making process.
 Estimating the role and involvement of DWCD and other departments in the effective functioning of CWCs in the state.
2.2 Relevance
Despite the fact that each CWC functions under the same law, each one has its own style of functioning within its jurisdiction. After the constitution of CWC, the inputs given to CWCs by the DWCD are hardly a few. Nevertheless, CWCs have delivered the justice to children in their limited capacity of knowledge of law and experiences. Though constituted under JJ(C&P)A, 2000, DWCD had not set up any monitoring mechanism of CWCs and hence, orders given in cases by CWC do not get analyzed or monitored. In this context, it is relevant to collate the best, wrong practices and the factors of CWCs that played the significant role in decision making process.
2.3 Target groups
All CWCs functioning in the state were the target groups of this study. Out of 28 districts, 25 districts do have CWCs. Chikamagalur, Ramanagaram, were removed by the Government earlier. During the study period, Dakshina Kannada CWC also was removed. Hence 25 CWCs have been visited to collect relevant information.
2.4 Methodology
 Collating case studies that are available with SATHI and independent researchers who have worked on it,
 Collecting data from CWCs through telephone or internet,
 Personal visits to each CWC to get a first hand data
 Compiling all the case studies and data
 Report making and its submission to SATHI
2.5 Methods of data collection
This consultant made personal visits to CWC or the members or the officials of Children’s Homes. Before making visits, the members of respective CWC were contacted over phone in advance. Sharing of the ways CWC have been functioning was the major source of data. A meeting for a span of two to three hours was arranged with CWC functionaries for this purpose. Chairperson and members and the supportive staff shared valid information about how CWC functioned in the district and addressed the issues of children.
Some functionaries who were not available on the day of visit shared their views and methods of operation over phone. Email also was used to get some clarifications from functionaries. Moreover, some data on case studies were collected from the library of SATHI with regard to CWC.
2.6 Limitations and gaps
CWCs do not have sitting every day. Some of them meet once in a week, twice in a week or once in a fortnight. This was a constraint to meet all the functionaries. Those who were available were constrained to give enough time as they had pre-occupied with various programs. During the sitting, it was impractical to provide enough time for the study exercise.






2.2 Details of visit
Sl no Districts visited Date Persons met/spoken
01 Chamarajanagar 31.10.2009 C. Basavaraju, Chairperson
Mahesh and Chandra Nayak, members.
02 Mandya 21.11.2009 Shivannegowda, Chairperson,
Ms Brinda, Mr Prabhakar and Mr B K Ramaiah, members.
03 Uttara Kannada 04.11.2009 Dr Shaila Borker, Chairperson, Mr D’Souza, Superintendent, Boys’ Home, Sirsi and Ms Hemalatha, Superintendent, Girls’ Home, Karwar.
04 Udupi 03.11.2009
Ms. Pramila Vaz, member (removed)
Ms Amrutha Kala, Chairperson
Mr Eshwarappa and Mr Umesh Aradhya, members (additional charge)
05 Kolar 23.11.2009 Ms Sugunamma, Chairperson, Mr Nanjundappa, Member and Mr H Padmanabhan, Superintendent, Boys’ Home, KGF.
06 Tumkur 26.11.2009 Mr Shivalingaiah, Chairperson, Mr Shankarappa, Ms Annapurna Venkatananjappa and Ms Hemavathi, members, Ms Naveeda, Superintendent, Girls’ Home.
07 Bellary 02.12.2009 Mr Mounesh, member and Mr Shivarudrappa, Superintendent, Boys’ Home, Bellary.
08 Koppal 02.12.2009 Mr Vasanthakumar, Chairperson.
(Spoke to Ms Savitri Majumdar, Member over phone)
09 Raichur 03.12.2009 Mr Huliyappa, Chairperson, Mr Ningappa, In-charge Superintendent, Boys’ Home, Raichur.
10 Gulbarga 04.12.2009 Mr Ananda Raj and Ms Shobha Kodla, members and In-charge Superintendent, Girls’ Home, Gulbarga.
11 Bidar 05.12.2009 Dr C Ananda Rao, Chairperson, Mr Manik Rao Bhalke and Mr Bajrang L T, members, and Mr Swamy Das, In-charge Superintendent, Boys’ Home, Bidar.
12 Belgaum 11.12.2009 Ms Susheela V, Ms Sunanda M A, Mr F R Chabari Patil, members and Ms Renuka Vadgaonkar, Superintendent, and Mr Lokesh, counselor, Boys’ Home, Belgaum.
13 Bijapur 12.12.2009 Mr H M Poojar, Chairperson, Ms Vasundhara Inapur, Mr Vasudeva Tholabandi and Mr N I Chapraband, members.
14 Bagalkot 12.12.2009 Mr Ramesh N. Madiwalar, member.
Spoke over phone (Ms Sharada Badami, Mr S C Bankapur- members)
15 Gadag 13.12.2009 Ms Esther Regina, member and Ms Akkamhadevi, Superintendent, Boys’ Home.
16 Hubli-Dharwad 14.12.2009 Mr Ashok Yeragatti, Chairperson, Mr Shankar Lamani, Mr S H Halwar, members.
17 Chitradurga 15.12.2009 Dr Nataraj, Chairperson, Ms Sumana S. Angadi, member and Mr A.M.Astheer, in-charge Superintendent.
18 Haveri 15.12.2009 Ms Praful Kusgal, Superintendent, Boys’ Home, Ranibennur. Spoke over phone with Mr Sanninganavar and Mr Manohar S Kalyani, members.
19 Davanagere 16.12.2009 Mr Manjappa, Mr Basavarajappa S, members and Mr Ramalingappa, Superintendent, Ms Shivalingamma, P.O., Boys’ Home, Davanagere.
20 Shimoga 17.12.2009 Mr Eshwarappa, Chairperson, Mr Umesh Aradhya, Mr Syed Ahmed, Ms Bharati Chandrasekhar and Mr K Lakshman Rao, members and Mr Jayanna, Superintendent and Ms K Vanaja, P O, Boys’ Home, Shimoga.
21 Kodagu 02.01.2010 Mr T C Thammaiah, Chairperson and Ms Mumtaz, Superintendent, Boys’ Home, Madikeri.
22 Hassan 27.01.2010 Dr Palaksha, Chairperson, Ms Sheshamma and Ms. M.S.Madhura, members and Superintendents of BCH, GCH.
23 Mysore 05.01.2010 Dr R Nagaraju, Chairperson, Mr H Raju, Ms Nalini Mothi and Mr Venkatesh, members, Ms Gita Lakshmi (GCH) and Mr Jayaram (BCH), Superintendents, P.O.s and counselor.
24 Chikmagalur CWC was terminated earlier to this study
25 Dakshina Kannada During the period of this study, CWC was terminated by the department.
26 Bangalore Urban -1 23.03.2010 Ms Meera Madhava, Member
Mr Rajendra Prasad, Superintendent, BCH, P.O.
27 Bangalore Urban-2 23.03.2010 Fr Varghese Pallipuram, Member
Mr Balakrishna V Masali, Member
Ms Leena, Superintendent of GCH
P.O.s
28 Bangalore rural CWC was terminated earlier to this study















Chapter 3
Part I
North Karnataka

1. Bellary
2. Koppal
3. Raichur
4. Gulbarga
5. Bidar
6. Belgaum
7. Bijapur
8. Bagalkot
9. Gadag
10. Haveri
11. Dharwad
12. Davanagere



BELLARY
Bellary is a district which borders with Andhra Pradesh. Moreover, Bellary is a railway junction wherein trains from various directions come. This is a major reason for the rising number of migrant and run away children that come before CWC in the district. Children from Andhra Pradesh are sent to Kadappa or Tirupati, nearest districts in AP since they cannot cope up with the local language. The nature of cases produced before CWC is child marriage, begging and abandoned babies. At least one case of abandoned baby is produced before CWC in a month.
There are 8 schools in the district to rehabilitate child labour, under the SCLP. In each school, there are 40-45 children. SCLP conducts raid in every month with the support of police, departments of labour, education and health and rescues children from work places. However, these children are never produced before CWC, though Mr. Mounesh is a member of CWC.
Bellary CWC has sitting only on Saturday between 2.30 and 6.00 in the evening. In addition, there would be sitting in emergency situations. The sitting is done at Boys’ Home. CWC has at present only three members. Rs. 190 is paid towards sitting fee plus actual TA.
MEMBERS
There are only three members now in the panel. One of them is frequently absent.
45-year old Susheela Siroor is the chairperson. Having MA and B.Ed, she is a lecturer in a B.Ed College for the past 13 years. She is a know social worker in the area and has been involved in various social issues like family planning, quality primary education and women empowerment. She is Executive Committee member of Mahila Samakhya-Karnataka and a member of Sahitya Parishat. Ms Siroor is known as a writer too. Being a local person, she attends CWC almost regularly. This is her second term in CWC.
33 year old Mounesh who is a post graduate in Social Work has been working as Field Officer in State Child Labour Project office in DC office, Bellary since 2002. He claims that child labour and child rights are his specialized topics. He hails from a village, 8 kms away from Bellary. He is also secretary of a NGO, Gayathri Graminabhivruddi Samsthe. He is in the first term in CWC.
33 year old H.C.Raghavendra is another member who has a post graduation in MSW hails from Ramsagara, Hospet taluk of Bellary. He works as coordinator of CRT, Bangalore in five Gram Panchayats of Bellary taluk for the past 4 years. He conducts trainings on child rights for GP members and focuses on formation of child rights clubs. He is in first term in CWC.
The other members were Mr L C Honna Naika and Mr B D Gowda. Both of them were in the earlier committee. They have post graduation in MSW. Though regular in the first term, they did not attend the sittings in this CWC. They never informed nor written to CWC or department about their disinterest.
There was no recruitment after two posts got vacant.
Name Age Qualification Number of term Position Status
Susheela Siroor 45 MA, B Ed Second Chairperson Regular
Mounesh 33 MSW First Member Regular
Raghavendra 33 MSW First Member Irregular
L C Honna Naika - MSW Second Member Left
B D Gowda - MSW Second Member Left

BEST CASES HANDLED
I. K was working as an agriculture wage labour. Hailing from Radio Park of Bellary town, he developed relationship with a girl and married her without consent of his parents. He started living in a new house separately with the girl. In the wedlock, they got a child which was 8 months old. However, his family forced him to leave her and marry another woman. He got married again and he started living with the new wife. There was continuous threat to first wife from his family members.
His Chikkappa (father’s brother) took the baby to police station and said it was an orphan. Police brought the baby before CWC. Later on CWC came to know that there was a verbal war between K and his first wife. Angry at him, she gave the baby to him and left. He took the baby to his second wife and left it with her. When she was away from home, Chikkappa came home and took the baby to police station.
CWC made a news paper advertisement as per procedure. K saw the newspaper and came with all documents. Mother also came before CWC. The whole story unfolded there. He has children in second wife also. CWC was convinced that they were the genuine parents of the child. Thereafter, an undertaking to look after the child was taken from K. Later, child was released to parents, K and his first wife.
II. 13 year old girl G from a village of Bellary Taluk was produced before CWC by a MSW student. G was a devadasi as she wore a ‘muthu’ on her neck. She was teased and harassed by boys in the village. The quantum of harassment went up and it was unbearable for her. MSW student from the same village who knew about CWC produced her before CWC. She was admitted to OH as there was no GCH. She was counseled. Health check up was conducted. She had traditional ‘jade’ (hard hair) which was removed in OH. Since Devadasi does not wash hair, it becomes harder. She said that it was a customary practice in family. CWC ordered for a home enquiry. During the enquiry, her parents denied of the allegation of devadasi. They said that they had never submitted her as a devadasi. The villagers stood by the family and wanted the child back. 70-80 people assembled in village during enquiry. Parents said that she was not well and therefore, they put ‘muthu’. Later she became alright. P.O. could not collect information from her school as villagers did not allow it.
Now, the MSW student got harassed by the villagers who alleged that the girl was trafficked to somewhere. Later, they came in group to OH and held a protest in front of it. They approached DD and with his permission, they met the child inside OH. SHG federation of the village threatened to meet the minister Mr Sriramulu who hails from Bellary. People suspected that OH was a home for sex workers or sexually abused women. They felt that their village would get a bad name by this incident.
Minister’s PA called up Chairperson for release of the child.
III. A lady Engineer had a baby out of a relationship before marriage with a man. Later, he rejected her to marry. Without finding any other option, she threw the baby in a bush. Police rescued the baby and admitted it in VIMS, Bellary. Baby had lost one eye and was mal nutritious. It was 20 days old when rescued. CWC took steps to find the biological parents of the child. She appeared before the CWC and repeatedly rejected the motherhood in five sittings. However, during the police enquiry, she agreed that she was the baby’s mother. In the meantime, child was sent to Shishu Gruh, Hubli and later admitted to KIMS, Hubli. While the case was heard, the child was dead in May 2009. It didn’t live for more than 3 months. After death of the child, CWC closed the case.
IV. 13 year old Lavanya (name changed) was studying in 7th standard in Ramnagara village of Hospet taluk. After death of her mother, her father was looking after her schooling and other needs. However, he continuously harassed his daughter in the house. She shared about this problem with her mother’s sister who works in Santwana Women’s helpline, Bellary. She admitted the child in Santwana temporary shelter and later in State Home for Women (SHW). Her father approached the JMFC court and filed a case against Superintendent of SHW for kidnap of his daughter. Child was produced in JMFC court and statement was given. Later JMFC dropped the case. She was never produced before CWC though she was below 18 years of age. Later, she was produced before CWC. Child studied in SHW and attended the hearings in CWC. CWC facilitated fixed deposit of Rs.3 lakhs by her father in her name in SBI and ICCI. JMFC court recognized CWC’s decision. Now the child is in GCH, Bangalore and continues her studies in high school.
V. An orphan boy was referred by Anganwadi worker from Doopadahalli village of Kudligi Taluk to CDPO in July 2009. Later he was admitted to BCH and produced before CWC. Child’s grandmother came to CWC and claimed that he was her grandson. Her son and daughter-in-law didn’t like the child and was harassed. As a result, child ran away, she said. CWC ordered for a home enquiry of the child, wherein it came to light that father had another marital relationship. Grand mother and father appeared before CWC. However, child’s mother never appeared. CWC insisted for her appearance. Child was in Jr Home and going to school regularly from there. Thereafter, there were efforts to politically influence the CWC and officials. A lorry full of villagers came to BCH to release the child. Minister’s PA also had come along with villagers. They threatened and asked for release of child. However, when CWC functionaries and dept officials explained the procedures and the interest of the child, they were convinced. CWC asked for documents related to the child. None produced any document and never came thereafter. Child is happy and in school now.
Best practices
 Children from AP are sent back immediately to nearby districts in AP for their immediate restoration with parents.
 Since there is no adoption centre or fit institution in the district, CWC transfers babies to Hubli Shishu Gruh with order for their adoption process.
 CWC functionaries visited Morarji Desai School when a girl died of malaria. When the child was ill, the warden did not give enough attention. CWC discussed with DDPI informally. ZP suspended the wardern.
 Though no fit person at the local level, CWC has identified a Fit Person in Bagalkot where he runs an institution for HIV infected children (Ujwala). A 11-year old HIV infected boy was sent to FP.
 Decisions are in consensus in CWC.
Wrong practices
 CWC conducts sitting only once in a week.
 CWC is a bench of magistrates. However, CWC does not sit in a line. Chairperson sits separately and members sit across her.
 Though abandoned babies were sent to Hubli, CWC has not done the legal procedures to trace the parents nor declared the child legally free for adoption.
 The individual files do not have note sheets. Decisions of CWC are recorded in a register. Two columns are made wherein topics on the left side and decisions on the right side are written.
 Children rescued from labour are not produced before CWC. CWC has never visited and assessed the situation of children in the SCLP schools.
 Summons has never been issued. Notice or letter is issued through superintendent. CWC does not have a format of summons. Trainings for officials, NGOs or police have never been conducted. There are no handbills available on JJA or CWC.
 In K’s case, CWC released the child to father and his first wife. However, CWC did not look into the factor of child’s future. Monitoring or follow up plan also was not chalked out.

COOPERATION WITH DEPT
Good examples
 DD participates in the raid of begging children. DD office has provided vehicle for such rescue operations. DD office has got the materials on JJA and related issues for CWC.
Bad examples
 There is no regular superintendent in Boys’ Home. Mr Shivarudraiah is a case worker who has been given charge of Superintendent. There was another male P.O. in the Home who has been deputed to DD office. Though counselor is very important for CWC or the Home, none has been appointed during the tenure of this CWC. There was a counselor in the last committee.
MEMBERS
Good qualities of members
 Chairperson, Ms Susheela is a known person in the district and does have understanding on child issues.
 Mounesh has experiences on child related issues. He is concerned about children.
 Raghavendra is a resource person on child rights and involved in trainings and awareness programs on child rights.
Bad qualities
 Mounesh appears to be submissive and works under Project Director of NCLP who does not have enough knowledge of CWC.
 Mr Raghavendra is under pressure of his routine work. Therefore, he is unable to give enough time to CWC.
OTHER INFORMATION
P.O. report gets delayed always as P.O. is in charge of Superintendent. He shuttles between DD office and CWC. This results in delay of disposal of cases within the mandatory period of 4 months.
















KOPPAL
Abandoned babies, uncontrolled children and inmates are presented before CWC in general. Babies are sent to Shishu Gruh, Hubli. Sitting is conducted on every Thursday between 11.30 am and 3.00 pm at Junior Boys’ Home, Koppal. Senior boys are sent to either Gadag or Hubli.
There are many children who migrate to Bangalore or Mangalore. They come back to Koppal with police escort. CWC has handed them over to their parents.
MEMBERS
There are four active members in the Committee.
Mr K Vasanthakumar, chairperson of CWC who is 46 year old has been working as a part time lecturer in a college in Gangavati. He has degrees of MA and B Ed from Mysore University. He is also a diploma holder in child psychology, nutrition and skills. He owns a NGO named Baptist Welfare Society since 1989 and has been involved in various activities like Santwana helpline, counseling, AIDS awareness, environment issues, skill development training, women and child development and research. He is in the second term of CWC.
Mr Ramesh Gowli who has MA and LLB is 37 year old and a resource person on child rights, adoption and related issues. He is son of an Ex MLA in the district. Being rich enough, Gowli does not go to court for practice. Hails from Gangavati, Gowli is regular to CWC sittings.
38 year old Shivaleela has got degree of B A and LLB and works in Baptist Welfare Society as a counselor. Hailing from Koppal, she is regular to CWC sittings.
Ms Savitri Majumdar, 44 years, runs a NGO. Being a localite, she is regular to NGO. Having MA and LLB, she is known in the district as a social worker and journalist. She publishes a periodical in Kannada, ‘Mahila Loka’.
Ms Gita Rani, 35 year old, a graduate of BA, hailing from Gangavati, got married one year back and shifted to Bangalore with her husband. She was irregular to CWC.
Name Age Qualification Number of term Position Status
Vasanthakumar 46 MA, B Ed Second Chairperson Regular
Shivaleela 38 B A, LL.B First Member Regular
Savitri Majumdar 44 MA, LL.B First Member Regular
Gita Rani 35 B A First Member Left
Ramesh Gowli 37 MA, LLB First Member Regular

Good qualities
 At least three members are regular to CWC sittings.
 Members are willing to visit the spot at their own expenses.
 Members are committed and willing to spare time for CWC work.
Bad qualities
 Shivaleela is an employee in chairperson’s organization. She seems to be submissive to her boss even in CWC too.
 Chairperson has visited the police station and settled a few cases there.
BEST CASES HANDLED
I. Five year old boy Ravi (name changed) had run away from home and reached Bangalore. He worked in a hotel there. Later he was rescued by police and handed over to BOSCO which later produced the child before CWC. During the counseling, child’s address was taken and found that he was from Koppal. CWC ordered for a home enquiry and found that his parents were sick. Then his relatives came to CWC to claim the child. One of the relatives was a government official, but CWC wanted proof of the relationship. Finally, another relative who was Inspector of police came to CWC and was willing to execute an undertaking. He brought all the related documents of the child. CWC restored the child with him.
II. 13 year old girl child from a village of Gangavati taluk had come to see film in Gangavati town. After film show, an auto driver took her to a brothel in the town. She was sexually tortured by several men. In early morning of next day, she was left on a veranda of a shop in the town by the brothel people. She was sick and lying down on the veranda. Police found and took her to police station. Circle Inspector Chandrappa called up CWC chairperson. During counseling, she revealed about her fateful evening and clue of the brothel. Immediately, a team of police personnel went to the spot and arrested the lady owner of the brothel. There were big dogs with her, which also were brought to the police station. Child identified the woman and said that she managed the torture process. However, the woman denied the allegation. Chairperson insisted to register the case though police wanted to settle down with some compensation. FIR was filed against her and she was produced in Court before sending to Bellary jail. The child was sent to the custody of a lady member of CWC for a day. Next day, an emergency sitting was held and she was sent to Sr GCH, Gadag.
After two years of this case now, the owner of brothel is out on bail. Child had escaped from GCH and gone to Bangalore. Later she was produced before Gadag CWC and restored to parents.
III. Eight children from Kolkata were working in a jewellery shop in Gangavati. Unable to bear the harassment of employer, one of the children somehow came out and was crying in a public place. Noticing this, public gathered there. A local journalist informed the police and in turn, police informed CWC chairperson. Thereafter, the owner of Jewellery shop was summoned to the police station. After coming from Kolkata, he started the shop at Gangavati and brought 8 children from his native place. He said that all of them were his relatives and had come to learn work. All children belonged to Muslim and spoke Bengali. Later, chairperson contacted Ms Nina Nayak of Bangalore who spoke to children in Bengali. Parents were located who were in West Bengal. They said they would not be able to come. Chairperson asked the police to register the case against owner. However, police did not oblige it. Owner was ready to pay even upto Rs.40000. Police managed to bring the agency people from Bangalore who actually brought the children from Kolkata. They claimed that they were parents of the children. Kolkata parents said that they were only relatives. Later after executing a bond, children were released to them. Children were not sent to Kolkata CWC for restoration.
IV. A girl baby was found in an abandoned position in bushes near a toilet in a village of Yelburga taluk. Ants had covered the baby when a chicken shop keeper found it. He brought the baby home after rescuing it. His wife was happy to have the baby. The matter was brought to the notice of CWC by an Anganwadi Worker after a week. Immediately, CWC functionaries along with PO, social welfare officer went to police station. Police accompanied the team. Police took the woman and child in custody and brought them to police station. It was found that she has four children. During the questioning, leaders of the village came to police station. They justified the action of the woman who protected the child. The woman threatened to commit suicide if child was not given back to her. A leader made promise that the child would be looked after well. The crowd and leaders were explained of the procedure if an abandoned child was found. Later, the child was shifted to Shishu Gruh, Hubli. Since two months of child was sent, no biological parents came to claim yet. However, newspaper advertisement was not given as per law.
V. A couple of Gowripura village in Gangavati taluk had gone to Goa with their children for work. During their stay in Goa, they were infected with AIDS. After their death in the General Hospital, Koppal, relatives rejected to accept their three children. An uncle used these children to collect money from public showing their helplessness. He was enjoying the money thus collected. It had appeared in the local newspaper. Taking notice of it, Chairperson and a member with CDPO visited the village and met ‘Uncle’. The team rescued the children from him. Children wanted to be together wherever they go. Since two of them were girls, they have to be separated as per rules. However, elder girl requested CWC not to separate them as the youngest was very small. Later CWC made an order to send the children to a fit institution, run by Mr Hunasemarada in Gadag district.

PRACTICES OF CWC
Best practices
 CWC functionaries, by their own expenses, had an exposure to various district CWCs like Dharwad, Gadag, Haveri, Gulbarga with a view to understand and improve the system.
 In case of any abandoned babies reported, CWC members visit the spot at their own expenses and rescue the baby. Help of dept officials and police is ensured in such situation.
 CWC and dept of police jointly organized a workshop on trafficking of children at Koppal SP office. Police officials, other dept officials and NGO personnel were present. CWC members also were the resource persons.
 CWC chairperson got a FIR registered against a brothel owner in a child abuse case, though police intended to avoid it.
Wrong practices
 Though abandoned babies were transferred to Hubli Shishu Gruh by CWC, Koppal, it has not yet declared any child legally free for adoption.
 In the case child workers from Kolkata, children should have been sent to Kolkata CWC for restoration with biological parents or proper rehabilitation.
 CWC does not sit in a line. Chairperson sits separately and members sit across.
 No follow up of children sent by CWC.
COOPERATION WITH DEPT
Good examples
 Vehicle is provided by DWCD if there is emergency situation.
 Staff is provided if a child is escorted to other districts.
Bad situation
 Earlier, CWC conducted sittings in various taluk headquarters. However, DD wrote a letter to CWC not to conduct sittings in Taluks. Thereafter, sittings were not conducted in taluks.
 Though letters were written to state office for appointment of counselor, training for house mother and construction of own building for Home, there was no response from DD or state office.
OTHER INFORMATION
There is no regular Probation Officer or Superintendent in Home. P.O. of Hospet has been given charge of Superintendent. He commutes from Hospet every day. Home is on monthly rent of Rs.8000.
Home enquiry gets delayed as there is no regular P.O. CWC has found his reports were not genuine. He demands money from the aggrieved parties before filing reports.
Since counselor was not appointed, chairperson only counsels children.
Names of CWC members have been prominently displayed in a board inside the court hall.










RAICHUR
Both Homes (Girls and Boys) of the district function in a rented multi-storied building. Both boys and girls share the same staircase. Both Homes do not have regular superintendents. Ms Bhimabai, in-charge superintendent of GCH is an Accountant in CDPO office and she has been working in GCH for the past 18 months. Mr Ningappa, in-charge Superintendent of BCH is FDC in CDPO office, Raichur. The rent is paid to BCH and GCH is Rs.16,300 and Rs.16,700 respectively. Deputy Director also is not regular. Mr B Venkanna is Asst Director who is in-charge of DD.
Sitting is conducted on every Saturday between 1.00 and 4.00 pm. Rs.100 is paid towards sitting fee.
MEMBERS
There are four members on record. However, chairperson only comes for sittings. Others come whenever they find time.
Mr Huliyappa, chairperson, is 64 year old is a retired headmaster of high school. Hailing from Jalahalli of Devadurga taluk, he serves CWC in second term. He was a member in previous committee. He is regular to CWC. Ageing has affected his memory and vision to some extent. He now lives in Gulbarga with his son and comes from there to Raichur to attend CWC. He was appointed chairperson by a notification of DWCD dated 31.03.2008.
Voluntary admissions are more in number in CWC. Children come through police also. Since Unicef project has started operation in the taluk, child labourers also are produced before CWC. There are cases of abandoned babies too.
Mr Sharanabasava Patil is a 35 year old post graduate in MSW. He works with SEWA, Raichur as well as in a D.Ed College and MSW college. Hailing from Raichur itself, he is irregular to CWC. He is in second term of CWC.
Mr Earanna, 38 year old MSW graduate lives in Raichur and works as a lecturer in a women’s college. Serving CWC in first term, he is frequent to sittings.
Mr Bhimsen Kulkarni, 40 year old who also is post graduate in MSW has associated with a NGO, Janahita. Serving in first term of CWC, he is irregular to CWC.
Ms Meera Joshi, a post graduate in MSW resigned from CWC in the beginning of her second term and now has joined as a counselor in GCH.
Name Age Qualification Number of term Position Status
Huliyappa 64 BA, B Ed Second Chairperson Regular
Eranna 38 MSW First Member Irregular
Bhimsen Kulkarni 40 MSW First Member Irregular
Meera Joshi 38 MSW Second Member Resigned
Sharanabasva Patil 35 MSW Second Member Irregular

Good qualities
 Chairperson is regular to CWC. He visited Vatsalya Charitable Trust along with Superintendent to see the facilities before recommending it for FI.
Bad qualities
 Chairperson does not have clarity about child labour and the age. Members have not attended any trainings. Chairperson has no coordination with his members.
 There is no consensus in decision making throughout CWC sittings. Members conveniently come and sign up in the proceeding book and avail the sitting fees.
BEST CASES HANDLED
I. Eight year old child was in beggary at Sindhanur. Police brought him to BCH. He hailed from Andhra Pradesh. His mother came after a week. Child was released to her after CWC obtained report from police.
II. Police rescued a new born baby abandoned in the outskirts of Lingasugur and admitted to Children’s Hospital. It was reported to CWC. Later, CWC transferred the baby to Amulya Shishu Gruh, Gulbarga with order and escort. However, newspaper advertisement was not given to trace the biological parents. As per Chairperson, there is no meaning to give advertisement in newspaper as mother has abandoned her.
III. Police brought a 10-year old child who was stranded in Bus Stand, Raichur. CWC made arrangement to place an advertisement in newspapers for tracing his parents. He was in Children’s Home at Raichur for 4 days. He was transferred to Junior Home for Boys, Gulbarga. Since child was not well, Jr Home transferred the child back to Raichur suggesting to place him in Bangalore. Later CWC transferred the child to Bangalore Boys’ Home.
IV. A Gram Panchayat member brought two boys aged 10 years from Kalmala Camp before CWC. An advertisement was put in newspapers by CWC to locate biological parents. After seeing the advert, parents appeared before CWC with their documents. Both children belonged to various Gram Panchayats. Parents lost their children when they went for migrant work.
CWC PRACTICES
Best practices
 Visited Kanakadasa Educational Institution and Vatsalya Charitable Trust and made a recommendation to state government for recognizing them FIs.
 Newspaper announcement was given by CWC for NGOs to register under JJA.
Wrong practices
 Members do not attend the sittings most of the time. Chairperson only comes for sitting. Others come whenever they feel convenient and sign up in the register for the sake of quorum.
 CWC has never issued any summons.
 Individual files are signed by only the chairperson. Members sign only in the proceeding book.
 Though abandoned children were sent to Gulbarga, CWC has never declared any child legally free for adoption.
COOPERATION WITH DEPT
Good examples
 Manvi CDPO, Veerannegowda comes to CWC frequently.
Bad examples
 Identity cards have never been given to the functionaries till date.
 There are 4 acres of land and buildings for children’s homes in the town, owned by the department. However, they are in abandoned condition.
 CWC has written letters to DD office to fill up posts in the Homes. No response so far.
 No combined program on JJA or child-related issues has been organized so far by department and CWC.
 Trainings of any kind have not been given to CDPOs, correctional institution staffs on JJA so far.
OTHER INFORMATION
Kanakadasa Shikshana Samsthe has been recognized as Fit Institution for children in the age group of 6-18 years from 11.11.2009 in Raichur. No P.O. in GCH or BCH. No teacher in Homes. The building is of bad quality. No case worker in DD office to see the correctional Homes.
Boys below 12 years are sent to Jr. Home in Gulbarga or Bellary.
License has been given to Vatsalya Charitable Trust for in-country adoption. It has started its branch in Raichur recently.



GULBARGA
Two sittings are conducted by CWC in every week. Sittings are conducted in BCH on Wednesdays and in GCH on Fridays between 11.00 am and 3.00 pm. Large number of children come from taluk places like Sedum, Surpur, Yadgir and less number from other taluks of Gulbarga. Single parents bring their children for admission. Orphans do come and those child labour who have finished their bridge course also come.
MEMBERS
There are only three members in the Committee on record, two members conduct the sittings.
Dr Sharana Basavaraj who is a Ph.D holder in MSW has recently got job as lecturer in Women’s University, Bijapur. Therefore, he is unable to attend the sittings. But he comes once in a while and signs up the orders. He was a guest lecturer in MSW dept of Gulbarga University. He has the experience of working with street children, as part of his Ph.D.
Fr Jose P Mathew was an active member who worked with Don Bosco, Gulbarga. However, he was transferred to Bangalore by Don Bosco. He submitted his resignation to CWC.
Mr Manohara D, who is a post graduate in sociology, has got a job in Hampi University. He attended the sittings frequently for a year and thereafter stopped coming to CWC. He was a chief functionary of SILK, a NGO based in Gulbarga.
36 year old Anand Raj is an active member who holds a post graduate degree in sociology. He worked in SATHI for three years. He is full time secretary of Margadarshi, a NGO working on street children since 2002 in Gulbarga. The organization has been operating Childline dist model for the past 7 months. He is regular to CWC.
30 year old Ms Shobha Kodla is a localite and holds a post graduate degree in Women’s Studies. She worked as Education Coordinator in Mahila Samakhya-Karnataka under a UNICEF funded project. She has taught children in schools for child labour under SCLP. Earlier she was involved in survey on SHGs, rehabilitation of dam oustees and Suvarna Grama under University research program. She is regular to CWC.
Name Age Qualification Number of term Position Status
Dr Sharana Basavaraj 38 MA, B Ed Second Chairperson Left
Fr Jose P Mathew 33 MSW First Member Resigned
Manohara D 33 MA First Member Left
Shobha Kodla 30 MWS First Member Regular
Anand Raj 36 MSW First Member Regular

BEST CASES HANDLED
I. Three-year old girl, Rupa was rescued from a death row after she was thrown out of a running train near Wadi. Police found her with head injuries. Child was immediately admitted to Hospital and informed to CWC. After recovery, the child was placed in foster care in the process of adoption with a Brahmin couple living in Hagaribommanahalli. Husband is a Bank employee and the wife is a homemaker. Rupa called them ‘Pappa’ and ‘Mummy’. She lived with the couple for a month. One fine day, when all of them visited the market, Rupa wanted to go inside a Muslim Darga on the way. Immediately, the couple decided to return the child to CWC. Though child was upset over the decision of the ‘parents’, CWC accepted it. Late, CWC declared the couple ineligible to adopt children and wrote about the couple to all CWCs and Adoption Coordination Agency, Bangalore. Now, child has regained her old status and is in Children’s Home.
II. Seven year old Ramya was begging in train in the stretch of Wadi and Hubli. She was rescued by SATHI at Hubli and produced before CWC, Dharwad. Since child is from Gulbarga jurisdiction, she was transferred to Gulbarga CWC. Soon, CWC got P.O. report about the child’s family. Her father makes an earning by sharpening knives while mother does rag picking. Since there wasn’t own home, they lived on the Wadi platform. Ramya has a brother who lives with parents. She never went to school. Earlier, Ramya was speaking Hindi. Now she has picked up Kannada and been undergoing bridge education in Girls’ Home. She refused to go with parents and showed interest to learn. CWC has ordered to put the child under bridge education and then mainstream education.
III. 16 year old Lona (name changed) was a drop out in 10th standard. Her father makes an earning by driving Auto Rickshaw in the town. Lona was sexually abused by the local persons. Her mother somehow brought her to CWC for a place of safety. During the counseling, she listed 20 persons as abusers. CWC was able to file FIR against 3 persons. She was placed in Girls’ Home, Gulbarga. However, the male peon in GCH turned an abuser and tortured her sexually. One day, she was chased by him to kitchen and tortured. Though she complained about this with Superintendent of GCH, nothing happened. Later she presented the case before CWC. Soon after her statement was taken, FIR was filed against him in the local police station. Thereafter, Superintendent, FDA and house mother other than peon were put under suspension by the department. He had run away from home fearing the arrest. However, later he was arrested and produced before the court. Now he is out on bail. State office of DWCD has initiated an inquiry into the incident. A female peon has now been appointed. Lona was transferred to Bangalore GCH as she requires a new and different environment to move on.
Peon has hired a lawyer to argue for his ‘innocence’. His wife, two children and grand children are unable to find him guilty. Their defense is that a middle aged man having grand children cannot do such ghastly act on a girl child. Interestingly, the defense lawyer is none other than a retired Probation Officer of DWCD.
IV. 18-year old Usha landed up in GCH in an evening. She was missing from her native town of Bijapur. Her father is a merchant and mother is an illiterate home maker. They belong to a middle class family of Jain community. Lot of restrictions was put on the child by parents. She used to pick up mobile and use it. Her father warned her against using his mobile phone. Enraged on this, she took Rs.100 and left Bijapur. After reached Afzalpur, she could not continue her journey. She met an old man and explained her story. He managed to take her somewhere. Fortunately, a lady health worker who saw her going with the old man stopped and argued with him. Finally, he had to leave her in the custody of health worker. She took her to CDPO nearby. Usha created a story of death of her parents in an accident. She was taken to GCH in the evening.
Counseling was conducted for her twice. She insisted for food of her choice. In the counseling session followed, she gave number of one Rahul who was in fact searching for her. With his contact, her parents were contacted. The Jain community of the area was alerted. Parents met Superintendent with recommendations of MLC and big profile persons for her release. Later they appeared before CWC and requested for her release. Her boy friend used to give her gifts which the parents never liked. Usha was later released to parents based on her wish. She was in GCH for only 3 days. Now she is in touch with the GCH.
V. 12 year old Bindiya was missing and found in Mumbai. She had got into s train from Yadgir to Mumbai to see her Doddamma. She was transferred to CWC, Gulbarga at the age of 8 years. Her parents were located through a P.O. report. When parents appeared before CWC, Bindiya wanted to go with them. She was released to parents based on a bond. However, later she was employed for cattle rearing and domestic work. Unable to bear the load of work and harassment, she ran away from home. She wanted to go back to GCH. However, she reached BCM hostel. When GCH counselor went to OH which is near BCM hostel, he found her and took her to GCH. She has now been given informal education before joining school education.

PRACTICES OF CWC
Best practices
 Members sit in one line.
 Sittings are conducted in both BCH and GCH.
 Summons is issued. A printed format thereof is in place.
 Meeting of adoptive parents is conducted every year by CWC and the functionaries attend it.
Wrong practices
 Child comes and stands before the Committee. Chair is not offered.
 Abandoned babies are sent from various CWCs to Amulya Shishu Gruh. However, CWC declares them legally free for adoption after a publication in its jurisdiction. The declaration should be done by respective CWC.
COOPERATION WITH DEPT
Good examples
 Identity cards have been given to all members by the dept.
Bad situation
 POs are in charge of Superintendent in BCH as well as GCH. There is a typist with the dept. But there is no type writer. Though there is a computer system, she does not know how to operate it. DD office has not taken any action in this regard
OTHER INFORMATION
No FI or FP in the district. Proposals have been submitted by DD, but CWC has not recommended any NGO for FI. There are more than 200 NGOs in the district. However, CWC has no list of NGOs, working on child related issues. Foster care has not yet been given.

BIDAR
Sittings are conducted on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday between 3.00 and 5.00 pm. 2-3 cases come before CWC in each sitting. Rs 100 is paid to each member towards sitting fee. Homes for Boys and Girls are adjacent and therefore, both superintendents come to CWC. Mr Swami Das, P.O is in charge of Superintendent for BCH.
MEMBERS
There are five members in the Committee. However, there is no female member.
Dr C Ananda Rao, chairperson is a busy pediatrician for the past 25 years. Serving in second term, he is regular to CWC. Known as a social worker in the area, he runs a middle level school in Bidar. He was member in the previous committee. As always busy with his clinic work, Dr Rao has not attended any training programs on JJA. He does not have quality of listening to the problems. Prejudiced in decisions, Dr Rao does not have time to listen to others. He is good in looking at health problems of children. He insists presence of all children before CWC and asks them about their problems.
Mr Manik Rao Bhalki, serving as a member in the first term, holds MA and MPhil in history and works as a lecturer in a private degree college. He used to help children in terms of paying fees or giving tuition in his native place of Kanaji of Bhalki taluk. He is regular to CWC. Mr Bhalki does not have adequate training on JJA.
Mr Bajrang L T is 44 year old who is a post graduate in Political Science and a law graduate. He works as a part time lecturer in a PU college and practices as an advocate. He is regular to CWC sittings. Serving for the first term, he hails from Kabirabad vadi of Humnabad taluk.
Mr Somanatha Mudha is another member who is 45 year old having BA and B.Ed. He works as an Asst Teacher in a school and works for Prajavani daily as a stringer. He is in the committee for the first term.
30 year old Prem Kumar Kanti works as a part time lecturer in a private college, Basavakalyan. He has got MA and B.Ed.
Name Age Qualification Number of term Position Status
Dr C Ananda Rao 56 MBBS Second Chairperson Regular
Manik Rao Bhalki 45 MA, M Phil First Member Regular
Bajrang L T 44 M A, LLB First Member Regular
Somanatha Mudha 45 B A, B Ed First Member irregular
Prem Kumar Kanti 30 MA, B Ed First Member Irregular

BEST CASES HANDLED
I. 13 year old girl had escaped from GCH, Gulbarga. She was rescued by police at Basavakalyan and brought to GCH, Bidar. However, she escaped again. A school teacher met her on the road and took her to Tiptur. The child was employed in her marital home. Child worked there for about 6 months and escaped with Rs.20. In the bus stand, she was rescued by police and handed over to Paraspara Trust. Later the child was produced before CWC Bangalore which transferred her to CWC Bidar.
CWC after counseling the child took cognizance of the exploitation of the child and summoned the teacher. She refused the allegations. CWC has collected all the evidence to build up a criminal case against her for employment of the child.
II. Four year old Chandini was begging in Bidar town. The perpetrator was putting needles on her body as she could not earn much out of begging. He thought her tortured body could fetch more money. While he was doing it in the railway station, members of the public noticed it. Her both hands had been removed by him. Police arrested him and the child was admitted to government hospital. The incident appeared in the newspaper. Taking cognizance of it, CWC visited the hospital and procured the child into custody. Since the child belonged to Sedum of Gulbarga, she was sent to CWC Gulbarga. Parents have been traced by CWC.
III. 10 year old Limbazi is one of the three children to his parents. Unable to bear the burden of bringing him up, mother put him in a Hyderabad train with a view to go somewhere and live somehow. But the train was Link Express which went to Bangalore. Police rescued him and sent to Bidar through CWC. He was always crying for his mother. Though efforts to trace mother were undertaken, she was not traced. The neighbors said that her son was dead and gone for funeral. When Limbazi heard it, he stopped crying. He returned to BCH and has now been going to school regularly. He looks like very determined.
Best practices
 Sittings are conducted three times in a week and quorum is ensured.
 Names of members have been prominently displayed in a permanent board in the court hall.
 About 50 children have been declared legally free for adoption.
 All the children in the Homes are called on every Saturday by CWC to listen their problems if any.
Wrong practices
 Members do not sit in one line.
 No chair is offered to visitors or children during trial.
 Since Chairperson dominates the committee, decisions are made sometimes unilaterally.
 Summons has not been issued so far.
 CWC has not issued order or notice to police so far.

COOPERATION WITH DEPT
Good examples
 CWC functionaries could not even recollect one example of good cooperation with the department.

Bad examples
 DD objected to the usage of letter head like ‘In the court of CWC’ and wrote about it to head office.
 Though vehicle was requested to visit private homes of children, it was not provided by DD office.
OTHER INFORMATION
Though ILO child labour elimination project is in operation in the district, child labour cases have never been produced before CWC. The functionaries have never visited their rehabilitation schools.
















BELGAUM
There are three Homes in the district namely GCH at Saundatti, Junior BCH at Belgaum, and Senior BCH at Khanapura. They function in their own buildings. Junior BCH is in the premises of DD office.
CWC sittings are conducted on Thursdays and Saturdays between 10.00 am and 4.00 pm. Sometimes, it may last till 6.00 pm depending on the number and gravity of cases. There would be special sittings on emergencies also. SW attends the sittings almost regularly. DD also attends the sittings sometimes. Sitting fee is Rs.125 and it is paid through GCH, Saundatti.
There are 4 Fit Institutions in the district namely St Joseph’s Orphanage, Shanti Bastwada for girls and boys in the age group of 6-18 years, Divine Providence for girls in the age group of 6-18 years, Swamy Vivekananda Prathishtan –Bala Kalyana Kendra for 0-6 years and Nirmal Nagar at Modga for boys in the age group of 6-18 years. All of them are old FIs. New FIs have not been recommended after CWC came to existence.
CWC is assisted by superintendents of BCH senior and junior, and a counselor. Representatives of all the FIs attend CWC regularly.
MEMBERS
Though there are four members, one of them is frequently absent.
Mr Ananda Lobo is the chairperson. He is 38 years old and secretary of Rural Welfare Trust for a decade. His organizational focus is NRM, women and children. He dominates the meetings and hardly maintains communication with his members. Concerned about children’s issues, he goes on his own expenses to the spot whenever a violation of child rights is brought into his notice. Moreover, he is very busy and members find it difficult to discuss any issues with him. Decisions are unilateral, according to members.
Mr F R Chobari Patil is a member with 64 years. He was a school teacher and has bee doing social work. Hailing from Belgaum, he is regular to sittings. He is in the first term of CWC.
Ms Sunanda M A, is 48 year old and a post graduate in political science. Hailing from Belgaum, she is a known writer and social worker. He had worked in a college as a lecturer in political science for 5 years. She is in the second term of CWC.
Ms V Suseela, 44 year old, is director of Spandana, a NGO working with women and children in Belgaum. She is now state convenor of Campaign Against Child Labour (CACL) in Karnataka and finds herself hardly any time to attend CWC. Even if she attends CWC, she stays there for an hour.
One member though recruited has never joined.
Name Age Qualification Number of term Position Status
Ananda Lobo 38 Second Chairperson Regular
Chobari Patil 64 B A, B Ed First Member Regular
Sunanda M A 48 M A Second Member Regular
Susheela V 44 First Member irregular

BEST CASES HANDLED
I. R had four children: 3 girls and one boy. The eldest was 13 year old. They were living in the outskirts of Belgaum. Domestic violence was inalienable factor in their marital life. R left home and his whereabouts not known since then. After husband left home, L started living with another man. She did not want children with her. All the children were put in FI at Santhe Bandiwad. When FI produced the file, CWC issued summons to L. Children’s grandmother appeared before CWC. However, presence of L was insisted by CWC. She appeared and refused to take children. Finally, L agreed to take the boy back. CWC restored the boy with mother and rehabilitated all the girl children in GCH, Saundatti. Now all of them go to school. Boy is with grand mother and goes to school regularly.
II. The story of 16-year old girl of Rajiv Gandhi Nagar was really pathetic. She was a domestic help. She lived in the slum of Boxite Road. One day when she was coming back from work, one young person with his mother in an auto rickshaw stopped her and promised her good job. Thereafter, they took her to Goa. After a month passed, he asked the girl for her ornaments. On her refusal, he put force on her and later raped her. Thereafter, kerosene was poured and set her ablaze. The neighbours came to know about it and admitted her in hospital and later sent her to Belgaum. Her parents saw her and tried to register the case in the police station. However, police didn’t register the case with the reason that the case was from Goa.
Finally, the case came before CWC after two months. Later CWC issued order to SP to file FIR in the case. SP, in turn, asked the concerned police station to file FIR. The accused person and his mother were arrested and sent to jail. Since the girl became handicapped and the face was deformed, CWC recommended for pension from the department for disabled. The case is in the JMFC-2, Belgaum.
III. 40 year old man, who is an orphan, married another orphan and two girl children were born. Later another child was born which was a girl. Husband was unhappy for having another girl. Since he wanted a male child, he scolded his wife for giving birth to female child. Pained over her husband’s harassment, she jumped from the fourth floor of the hospital building and died. It was a sensational incident for all the media. Husband was ready to accept the child as it caused his wife’s death. He took the child to DWCD and executed a bond to surrender the child. Later the child was produced before the CWC. Counselor was sent to his village to collect information. Child was given medical aid immediately. As per the legal proceedings, CWC put up advertisement in newspaper for the claimants of the child. After 60 days, CWC sought another bond from father. Thereafter, child was declared legally free for adoption and sent to Bangalore Shishu Gruh for adoption. A couple adopted the child later and now it is in London.
IV. 17-year old girl belonging to Gowli community was a domestic help in a farm house near Khanapur. While working in the farm house, a goon manipulated her and raped her. It continued for about 3 months. He had threatened of dire consequences if this incident was revealed to anyone. She became pregnant. When shared it with mother, she too concealed it. Though she tried for termination of pregnancy, it was too late for it and therefore, hospital refused to do it. Her house was inside the jungle. Mother managed the delivery during night and kept the child in a bamboo basket behind the house where wild animals come. However, till morning, no animals came there and the child was safe. Mother took the child to cattle shed and closed it with another cover.
A phone call came from an unknown person to Counselor of CWC. He contacted the chairperson. They later contacted another person in the village and visited the spot by jeep. Baby was photographed. She refused to hand over the child. Both convinced her and took the baby into custody. Immediately the child was admitted to district civil hospital, Belgaum where it was found that the child was safe. The bleeding girl came and executed a surrendered deed before CWC. CWC put the procedures in motion and declared the child legally free for adoption. An engineer adopted the child and it is fine with the couple. In the meanwhile, the rapist appeared before CWC and expressed his intention to marry her. It led to their marriage later. They had no intention to take the child back. Now they have another child.
PRACTICES OF CWC
Best practices
 CWC has recognized three persons as fit persons and 22 persons as foster parents. Orphan children have been sent to Fit Persons. Foster care has been given focus as it is important for the children in the process of social reintegration.
 10-12 children have been declared free for adoption. CWC obtains FIR copy, newspaper ad, medical test report, case sheet, adoptive parent’s study and C report from police before declaring the child legally free.
 CWC maintains procedure book, agenda of cases, individual files and attendance book separately. In the agenda of cases, no of cases, date of postponement and action taken is written.
 There is a case reference register wherein sl no., case no., name of child/applicant, date of meeting under which case brought forward from, remarks and case forward number are recorded. There is no such mechanism in any CWC.
 CWC sits in a line.
 Meeting of adoptive parents and foster parents is conducted by CWC.
 CWC has issued notice to district hospital with regard to children given in illegal adoption.
Wrong practices
 Pages in the individual files are not numbered. Removal or loss of pages from the file may lead to difficult situation. Seal is not used for signature of chairperson or members.
 Decisions are not taken in consensus.
 CWC does not have a list of NGOs in the district, though chairperson and another member are from the NGO sector.
 Child labour cases are sent to DoL if child is below 14 years. Those child workers who are above 14 years are sent home with parents without taking any action on employers.
 There are two files for one case namely, one for Home and another for CWC. Home file has note sheets wherein CWC doesn’t make any recordings. However, in CWC file, note sheets are not maintained. Order of CWC is maintained in a separate sheet. Pages are not numbered in the file. Seal is used only in printed formats, in rest of the records, only signature of chairperson and members is recorded.


COOPERATION WITH DEPT
Good examples
 ID cards have been given to all members. During visit to institutions, they use it.
 Though sitting should have been made at GCH, Saundatti, DD has made it at Belgaum.
 SW attends the sittings.
 Prompt response is received from DD office for letters written by CWC.
Bad examples
 CWC members are not invited for any dept functions.
 No joint programs with DWCD and CWC so far.














BIJAPUR
In the district, there are Junior BCH, Senior BCH and GCH. GCH functions in a two-storied rented building. Sitting is conducted twice in a month namely 15 and 30th of the month between 11.00 am and 5.00 pm. Special emergency meetings also are conducted on need based. Children are brought by KHPT, Santwana Helpline, Anganwadi Workers and NGOs. Counselor assists CWC for writing the proceedings. Children of single parents, orphans, devadasi children, vulnerable children, children of HIV/AIDS victims come before CWC. Police also brings children to CWC. However, child marriage cases have never been brought before CWC.
Sitting fee is Rs.100. It is paid with TA regularly.
MEMBERS
There are five members in CWC.
The Chairperson is Mr Hanumantha Mannappa Poojar who is a retired school teacher hails from Sindagi taluk. 67 year old Poojar serves CWC for the second term. He started Makkala Balaga in Sindagi taluk in 1975 and has been involved in various programs for school children.
Ms Vasundhara Inapur is 51 years old had worked in SBI for 24 years. Having a post graduation in statistics, she runs 8 high schools and a working women’s hostel in Bijapur. She is wife of Mr Manohar Inapur, former MLA of the area. She serves CWC for the second term. She is regular to CWC and concerned about children. She has kept three children of a poor family in her custody, who have been sent to school. But she has not been recognized as fit person by CWC.
65 year old N.I. Chapraband, BA, B.Ed, was in service as Assistant Education Officer for some years and then Subject Expert in DDPI office. He served the DoE for 35 years. Hails from Bijapur, he serves CWC for the first term.
Mr Vasudeva Tolabandi, B.A., B.Ed., who serves in CWC for the first term is Director of Ujwala Society started in 1993. His organization has been working on women and child issues since then. 49 year old Tolabandi has served as Co-Convenor of Campaign Against Child Labour (CACL)- Karnataka. He initiated anti-child labour campaign in North Karnataka.
Mr Siraj M. Jamkhandi, BA., B.Ed, was a part time teacher earlier. He attended CWC for two years. Now he is regular in the service and has become head master. He did not attend CWC for the last one year. Served in the first term, he has not submitted his resignation.
Name Age Qualification Number of term Position Status
H M Poojar 65 B A, B Ed Second Chairperson Regular
Vasundhara Inapur 45 Masters in Statistics Second Member Regular
N I Chapraband 65 B A, B Ed First Member Regular
Vasudeva Tolabandi 49 B A, B Ed First Member Regular
Siraj M Jharkhandi 48 BA, B Ed First Member Left
BEST CASES HANDLED
I. In Alamatti, a NGO was running a hostel for children below 14 years. The NGO was not a registered body. All the children, including girls and boys, were housed in 10x10 room without any facility. There was report in media. CWC took cognizance of the media report and visited the hostel. The documents were reviewed and found that there was no recognition by the government to run the hostel. CWC issued notice to NGO to produce all children before CWC. NGO brought lawyers to CWC and requested for a period of 15 days. By the time, there were political pressures from various quarters. MLA also put pressure on CWC members. However, all the 23 children were produced before CWC. The hostel was supposed to be a destitute home. NGO was trying to get funds for it in the name of children. Later it was closed down.
II. 13 year old Jasmine (name changed) the eldest among 4 children including one boy, had to hire a house for a monthly rent of Rs.80 to look after her sisters and brother after her father died and mother started relationship with a hotel owner. She sold vegetables in the market of Thalikote, Muddebihal taluk. She was vulnerable to abuse by others. She managed the rented house for 18 months. Her plight was reported in media. CWC took cognizance of the case and had an emergency meeting. It informed CDPO, Muddebihal to submit a report and procure the children. When children were taken into the custody of CWC, their relatives came to CWC. Someone came as ‘Uncle’. They put lot of pressure from various quarters on CWC members. Jasmine wanted to be free. She did not eat for 8 days. A series of counseling sessions were conducted for her. Now she and her sisters and brother are in children’s home. All of them pursue their school regularly. Jasmine wants to become a school teacher to enable all such vulnerable children build up their future.
III. 13 year old from a village in Muddebihal taluk was raped when she went to rear cattle as part of her work. She was an orphan. After her mother’s death, father abandoned her. Thereafter, she found a job as a domestic help in the village. After coming to know about this incident, Anganwadi Worker produced her before CWC. She was found pregnant for four months. It was not possible to terminate the pregnancy. She was admitted in the reception unit and later sent to reception Centre, Bangalore with escort. She delivered there and now the child is in another centre. In the meanwhile, villagers came and wanted to get her married with the rapist. However, CWC did not agree with it. FIR was filed against the rapist.
IV. Eight year old Salma (name changed) was admitted to an orphanage by the villagers when her parents died of AIDS in a colony in the outskirts of Bijapur. A professor from Koppal came to orphanage and took her for a few days for foster care. When villagers went to orphanage to meet her, she was not found. Enraged on this, they approached CWC. Later CWC issued notice to the professor to produce child within a month. He produced the child before CWC. In the counseling session, child said that she was a domestic help in his house. Professor’s wife is an employee in postal department. Professor has become Vice Principal of the college. CWC directed the professor to give some compensation for the child. He deposited Rs.20000 which is now in the joint account of the child and superintendent. CWC issued a warning against the orphanage.
V. 8 year old orphan was rehabilitated in Ashakirana residential school under Sarva Siksha Abhiyan, Bijapur. It was reported in media. CWC took cognizance of it and sent a letter to DDPI to produce the child before CWC. Later child was produced and admitted to Children’s Home. Subject Inspector of the department appeared and explained about her admission in Ashakirana. Now the child goes to school from CH.
PRACTICES OF CWC
Good practices
 Information about new admission is given to chairperson or member within 24 hours.
 Consensus is a major factor in decision making.
 CWC visits jail every second Saturday and counsels young children in the age group of 17 -20 years.
 Child is transferred to jurisdictional CWC for restoration even if the child is proved to be of genuine parents.
Wrong practices
 Though CWC visits jail, it has not verified the age of youngsters nor issued order to the jail authorities to submit age certificates.
COOPERATION WITH DEPT
Good examples
 ID cards have been given to functionaries.
Bad situation
 Dept and CWC have not conducted any joint visit. None visits CWC from DD office.

BAGALKOT
Sittings are conducted at BCH, Bagalkot on Tuesday and Friday between 2.00 and 6.00 pm. CWC sits in Superintendent’s chamber. There is no waiting room for those who come to CWC. 2-4 cases including one or two new come before CWC. Rs.100 is paid towards sitting fee. Orphans, children of broken families, children of dead AIDS victims, trafficked children, abandoned babies and transferred children come before CWC. They are brought by Anganwadi workers, public and social workers of SWORD or BVV (Santwana Helpline). BCH is functioning in a rented building. Girls are sent to Bijapur or Hubli. GCH is very much necessary in Bagalkot district. There is one male counselor to assist CWC and Superintendent writes proceedings.
MEMBERS
There are five members in the Committee and four of them are regular.
Ms Pramila Purohit, 56 year old is the chairperson. Having degrees like MA and M.Ed, she teaches as a lecturer in a PU College, Sakri. Hailing from Bagalkot, she serves for second term in CWC.
Mr Sharada Badami who serves CWC in the first term works as a counselor in Santwana Women’s Helpline, run by a NGO in Bagalkot. She is a graduate with LL.B. Busy in her work schedule. She finds hardly time to attend CWC and therefore is irregular to sittings.
Mr Ramesh N.Madivalar, who works as a lecturer in sociology in Basaveshwara PU College since 22 years, Jamkhandi is regular to CWC. Having MA and M Phil, 46 year old Madivalar manages a NGO which runs 4 creches and a higher primary school in slums. He has been part of NSS in college for 15 years and have worked with college children involving them in social work activities. He serves CWC for the first term.
Dr Amrith Kuvar, who is a Ph.D holder in Anthropology, hails from Kukanur of Badami taluk. 55 year old Kuvar has been in social service for many years. She serves CWC for the first term. Her attendance to CWC is frequent. However, she hardly participates in the process of decision making in CWC.
Mr S.C.Bankapur is 58 year old graduate serving CWC for the first term. He runs Sharada Vidyalaya, a NGO for the past 10 years. He serves CWC for the first term. Regular to CWC, he has not done much effort to understand JJA.
Name Age Qualification Number of term Position Status
Pramila Purohit 56 MA, B Ed Second Chairperson Regular
Sharada Badami 45 LL B First Member Irregular
Ramesh Madivalar 46 M A First Member Regular
Dr Amrith Kuvar 55 Ph D First Member Frequent
S C Bankarpur 58 B A First Member Regular

BEST CASES HANDLED
I. 16 year old girl from Mudhol taluk was rescued by police from a brother in Pune. She was transferred by CWC to Bagalkot CWC. She was found in brothel when police conducted a raid there. She was counseled repeatedly. CWC came to know that she had no parents, but only Chikkamma (mother’s sister). As a custom in the village, the child’s finger was cut to make her remain unmarried forever. It is an alternative custom to Devadasi (sexual slaves of god). It is done for the girl children at the age of 5-6 years.
Chikkamma appeared before CWC. She was counseled and convinced of the need of rehabilitation of the child. Chikkamma agreed to take responsibility of child’s future. CWC insisted her to come every month and report about the child’s progress. On finding the progress, she was asked to come once in six months. Girl has now picked up tailoring and been living with Chikkamma. She cannot marry since her finger was cut.
II. 28 year old woman from Bidari, Jamkhandi was HIV positive. She had a 6-year old son. She delivered a girl baby and later she died. CWC took notice of it and admitted it to hospital. After regaining health, child was sent to Shishu Gruh, Hubli. Boy was sent to Nirgatikara Kuteera, Teggi in Bilagi taluk.
PRACTICES OF CWC
Best practices
 CWC panel interacts with children once in a month on food, toiletries etc.
 CWC visited and inspected a NCLP school run by Bhagavati. It found misuse in the school. Now the school doesn’t function.
Wrong practices
 Individual files are put up by Superintendent and signed by only Chairperson. Members do not sign in the files.
 CWC does not sit in one line. Chairperson dominates the meeting.
 Individual files of children are not put up for CWC recordings. CWC decisions are taken in procedure book only.
COOPERATION WITH DEPT
Good examples
 ID cards have been given.
Bad situation
 No response from DD office or state office, though letters were written.
 No vehicle is given by DWCD for CWC functionaries to make a visit to institutions.
 No funds for CWC. Tea and snacks are not provided during sitting of CWC.
 Superiority of DD office and CWC is always an issue.
OTHER INFORMATION
No fit persons have been identified and declared by CWC so far. There are no Fit Institutions in the district. But there are 25 Kuteeras recognized and funded by the dept. 6-7 NGOs have been running residential institutions for children in the district. There are about 55 schools for child labour under NCLP/SCLP. However, no child labour is produced before CWC.
Migration to Mumbai is common in the area. There are many young devadasi girls. About 28000 Devadasi women are living in Bagalkot at present. They have 200 children. There is a necessity of hostel for devadasi girls.
No care plan for children made in BCH. PO is not there in the Home.











GADAG
The district comprises of 5 taluks namely Gadag, Ron, Mundargi, Shirahatti and Nargund. Out of them Ron is the biggest taluk from where CWC gets more number of cases. Sittings are conducted on Wednesday and Saturday between 10.30 am and 2.00 pm. Emergency meetings also are conducted. There are examples two meetings in a day to settle a case of a 3-day baby. There are five members in CWC. Three of them are regular. Superintendent Ms Akkamahadevi and a male counselor assist CWC during sittings.
There is one BCH for 6-18 years with a capacity of 100 children at Gadag and one GCH with a capacity of 50 children at Betageri. BCH operates in its own building while GCH functions in a granted building. Children of single parents, orphans, children of broken families and migrant families, abandoned babies are brought before CWC by parents, NGOs, police, village elders, Anganwadi workers, and public. Children themselves have come in some situation. 2-3 cases come before CWC in each sitting.
There is only one Fit Institution in the district which belongs to a CWC member, Mr Hunasemarad. No fit persons declared by CWC. There are no cases of legally free for adoption also.
MEMBERS
There are five members in the Committee and all of them are regular to CWC.
Prof. T.S.Jamadar, chairperson of CWC is a retired principal of VDST PU College, Gadag. 62 year old Jamadar serves CWC in the second term. He is a known social worker in the district. He heads Sevabharati Trust at Gadag which runs Arunodaya Shale for mentally retarded children. He is regular to CWC sittings.
Mr R C Hunasemarada, 52 year old, has degrees of BSc and DAE. He heads SCTC, a NGO which runs child helpline, BSW college, ITI, Family counseling centre, vocational training centre for physically challenged and NCLP school. SCTC is 20 year old organization. He serves CWC for the second term.
Mr Pulikeshi Sarvi, 44 year old, is a part time teacher in a high school at Nedugundi of Ron taluk. He is also LIC agent and a farmer. He is regular to CWC sittings. He is the chief functionary of Graminabhivruddi Samsthe, a NGO in his village.
Mr Shankarsingh Rajput, BA, B.Ed., is President of Manju Shikshana Samsthe at Betageri of Gadag town, which runs school for mentally challenged children, High School, LP School, NCLP school and Kuteera for orphans with the assistance of government funds. He is regular to CWC.
Ms Esther Rejina, 46 year old, is project head of a residential school for polio affected and physically challenged children, under CSI church in Gadag town since 1993. Prior to this work, she worked for a girls’ orphanage at Badami for two years. Other than BA, TCH, she has done her diploma in child care and administration. She has undergone special orientation on physically challenged children in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Austria. She is regular to CWC.
Name Age Qualification Number of term Position Status
Prof. T.S.Jamadar 62 M A Second Chairperson Regular
RC Hunasemarada 52 B Sc, DAE Second Member Regular
Pulikeshi Sarvi 44 BA, B Ed First Member Frequent
Shankarsingh Rajput 48 B A, B Ed First Member Regular
Esther Rejina 46 B A, TCH First Member Regular

BEST CASES HANDLED
I. A hostel was being run named Navajeeva Vasathi Gruha in the outskirts of Gadag. It came to CWC’s notice when 16-year old girl ran away from there in February 2009. She was rescued by police in Bangalore and produced before CWC. She was transferred to Gadag. In the counseling session, she informed about the hostel and the irregularities. Soon, CWC visited the institution and wanted to see its documents. However, it did not have any legal documents. It did not have even a board. The hostel was run in a rented building like a lodge. There were more than 40 children, including boys and girls, below 17 years. CWC ordered for a P.O. report about the institution. It was run by a Chennai based group. It was supposed to be a free hostel for adolescent students. However, children had to pay. There was lot of inconveniences. CWC insisted to call all parents and hand over the children to CWC. Finally an order was issued to close it down. CWC functionaries visited the institution four times. DD also visited it. Children were sent with their parents.
II. Three year old Namra was playing in Balabhavan of Cubbon Park in Bangalore with her mother, Ayesha. Unfortunately the machine broke and Ayesha died on the spot. This incident took place in 2008. She belonged to Hombala village of Gadag taluk. The accident and the orphaned child were covered in the media. Government announced Rs.2 lakhs for the child. At that point of time, Abdul Razak whom Ayesha was married as his fourth wife appeared in public. He claimed Namra as he was father of the child. CWC Bangalore which was dealing with the case wrote to Gadag CWC for the details of Razak. P.O. visited the village, Hombala. Razak had abandoned her long time back and Ayesha was living with another person in Bangalore. CWC found that there were no documents to show that Ayesha was his wife or they lived together. It was informed to CWC Bangalore which later refused to release the child to Razak. Child was released to Ayesha’s mother who lives in Haveri and the money has been deposited as FD in Bank in her name to hand over to the child when she attains the age of 18 years.
III. A new born baby was found in sewage near Beedanal Tanda in Mundargi taluk in November 2008. Seeing the baby, public informed the local anganwadi worker. She immediately brought it into the notice of CDPO and then CWC. Child was rescued and admitted to hospital, Gadag. Its foot was cut. ‘Feet cutting’ is a custom in Gadag for death of the child. Cow dung was pasted on its body. On discharge of the hospital, CWC transferred it to Hubli Shishu Gruh. Later it was admitted to KIMS, Hubli.
IV. 14 year old Sahana (name changed) of Mysore had been sold by her mother to a street dance (dombaraatta) group for Rs.2000. She used to dance in public during the show. While a performance was going on at Chuchihala village of Mundargi taluk, some youth noticed her and rescued her from the group. They produced her before CWC for guidance. She was living with the group only for two months. Later, CWC admitted her in 7th standard in government school. Since she was from Mysore, she was transferred to Mysore CWC for restoration with the parent.
V. 40-year old widow of Mundargi taluk had an illegal relationship with a man and delivered a child. Local newspaper reported that the child was sold to someone. Seeing the news, CWC chairperson took cognizance of it and directed CDPO of Mundargi to investigate. CDPO went to the village and identified her and the child. The widow had 4 children, one of whom was married. Fearing the public and customs at home, she had entrusted some one to look after the baby. The child was healthy and safe. Both of them appeared with the child before CWC. Mother submitted a letter to CWC relinquishing the child. CWC conducted sittings in twice on a day and the next day too to decide on the case. After finishing all procedures, child was transferred to Hubli Shishu Gruha.
PRACTICES OF CWC
Best practices
 Decisions are taken in consensus.
 Emergency meetings are conducted to dispose the cases.
 Quorum is ensured in every sitting.
Wrong practices
 Follow up of abandoned babies sent to Hubli has never been done.
 CWC does not sit in one line.
 There is no seal for CWC member. Only seal of Chairperson is used.
HAVERI
Sittings are conducted at BCH, Ranibennur on every Tuesday and Friday between 3.00 and 5.00 pm. Rs.100 is paid to the members as sitting fee. CWC is assisted by Superintendent of BCH and a counselor. There is no post for Probation Officer. Cases hardly come to CWC. During November-December 2009, there were no cases at all. Orphans, children of single parents, run away children and abandoned babies are produced before CWC by parents, NGOs or police.
There is one Fit Institution namely Spandana which is at Bankapura. It has now been recognized as adoption agency for children of 0-6 years. Mr M N Honakeri who runs Spandana is a former CWC member.
There are 11 Kuteeras in the district. Though there is a Home for deaf and dumb children (girls and boys) at Ranibennur, CWC has never visited it.
MEMBERS
There are five members in CWC. However, only two are regular to sittings.
Ms Madumati Magavi who is known as a social worker in the district is the chairperson. 55 year old Magavi is a post graduate in sociology. She has been nominated in various committees. Regular to CWC, she serves CWC for the second term. She hails from Haveri.
Mr Manohar S Kalyani who hails from Byadagi is regular to CWC sittings. He teaches in an institute and does social work. 40 year old Kalyani serves CWC for the first term.
Ms Vijaya Patil serves CWC for the first term. Served as an ACDPO in DWCD, she took VRS and got involved in various activities. She manages Devika School which comprises of LP School, High School and PUC. She is irregular to sittings. She has not applied for the next term.
Mr M N Sanninganavara is a post graduate in sociology and has been teaching in High School on a part time basis. 40 year old Sanninganavara serves CWC for the second term. He is irregular to sittings.
Ms Latha K. Sajjanar is a graduate and ex counselor of Haveri Municipality. She is the current president of Distict Mahila Morcha of BJP. She serves CWC for the first term. Hailing from Haveri, she is irregular to CWC.
Name Age Qualification Number of term Position Status
Madhumati Magavi 55 M A Second Chairperson Regular
Manohar S Kalyani 40 MSW First Member Irregular
Vijaya Patil First Member Frequent
M N Sanninganavara 40 M A First Member Regular
Latha K Sajjanar Degree First Member Irregular
Sitting fee of absentees is now put together and ‘child fund’ has been formed. This will be spent for the welfare of children. Previous committee was very active with various programs for children regularly organized. Donors were identified for various functions. However, present CWC has not followed the best practices of previous committee. Madhumati, Mahohar and Sanninganavar have attended trainings while others have not.
BEST CASES HANDLED
I. 12 year old Anand from Byadagi who was in 6th standard ran away from his house and reached Bangalore. He was rescued there and transferred to CWC, Haveri. Parents were located and child was released to them. However, he ran away again. This time, he reached Nanjangud, Mysore. CWC transferred him to Haveri. He lived in BCH for a week and later he was released to parents who are workers in APMC yard, Haveri. Anand is eldest of their two children. Though CWC asked him to stay in BCH, he wanted to go with his parents. CWC released him on his wish. No follow up was done and therefore, his present status is not known.
II. A new born baby was found near a pump house at Varaha village of Hirekerur taluk. The public informed it to a NGO and then to CDPO. The child was immediately rescued and medical check up was conducted. FIR was filed with the police. Child was sent to Spandana, a fit institution in the district for rehabilitation. Further process is still awaited.
III. Another baby was found in sewage in Alluru village of Hirekerur taluk. After rescued, child was sent to Spandana, Fit Institution. When CWC functionaries visited the FI, it was found that the environment was unsuitable for the baby. Then, CWC cancelled the order of detention in Spandana and transferred the child to Hubli Shishu Gruh. None had come to claim the child till then. No follow up of the child was done afterwards by CWC.
IV. CWC received information from KMC, Hubli about a child born to a house maid out of an illegal relationship. CWC members and Superintendent of BCH visited the house and met the woman. They refused to show the child and denied the allegations. CWC returned without taking any further action.
PRACTICES OF CWC
Best practices
 Quorum is ensured for each sitting.
 Separate court room for CWC
Wrong practices
 So far, no children were declared legally free for adoption though children were sent to Hubli.
 Release of child to parents should be based on child’s best interests and home enquiry report. A habitual run away child needs counseling services or psycho social treatment. Restoration with parents does not help the child recover from the problem. CWC has not looked into this critical factor while child was restored.
 CWC has never visited any institutions that run residential centres for children in the district. It has not kept a list of NGOs working on children in the district.
COOPERATION WITH DEPT
Good examples
 Conducted a workshop on child rights and JJA for police and department officials in collaboration with DWCD, DLSA in August 2009.
Bad examples
 Though CWC has asked vehicle to visit institutions, there was no positive response from dept.












DHARWAD
There are three four institutions at Hubli namely BCH with a capacity of 100 children, GCH with a capacity of 200 children, Home for Mentally Retarded children with a capacity of 50 and Shishu Gruh. All the institutions have regular Superintendents and own buildings. Sittings are conducted on every Wednesday at GCH between 11.30 am and 3.00 pm. Furniture has been provided to CWC. One sitting is held at Home for MR children once in a month (every third week). Superintendent of GCH Ms Anupama writes the proceedings of CWC. Two other Superintendents, one PO and one counselor assist CWC.
Run away children, relinquished babies, children of single parents, abandoned babies, abused children, victims of cruelty are produced before CWC. They are brought by parents, Anganwadi Worker, police, 3 NGOs such as SATHI, KIDS and Margodaya and rarely the public.
MEMBERS
Though there are five in the panel, only three are regular to CWC.
Mr Ashok Yeragatti, coordinator of KIDS, Dharwad is the chairperson. 40 year old Yeragatti, after his MSW, did a diploma in HIV/AIDS, provided by CIAP, Chennai. Since 1994 he has been working with KIDS, Dharwad-based NGO working on the rights of children, child labour and child trafficking. He serves CWC for the first term. He is regular to CWC sittings.
Dr Shankar Lamani, who serves for the first term, is a guest lecturer in a Degree college at Dharwad since 2004. 37 year old Lamani is a Ph.D holder in juvenile justice from Karnataka University. He is regular to CWC sittings.
Mr S H Halwar is a retired Probation Officer from DWCD. He served the department for 37 years. He is concerned about children and better conditions of Homes.
Dr Sulochana Karpooramath is a retired Government doctor. 65 year old Karpooramath serves CWC for the first term. Hailing from Hubli, her husband was chairperson in the previous committee.
Mr Sangamesh Chalawadi is a retired official of Dept of Education. He attended only one sitting of CWC in this term. He is a regular absentee.
Three members are from Dharwad. They go to Hubli, 25 kms away for the sitting.
Name Age Qualification Number of term Position Status
Ashok Yeragatti 40 MSW First Chairperson Regular
Dr Shankar Lamani 37 Ph D First Member Regular
S H Halwar 67 BA First Member Regular
Dr Sulochana Karpooramath 65 MBBS First Member Irregular
Sangamesh Chalawadi 46 B A, TCH Second Member absentee

BEST CASES HANDLED
I. 13 year old Puja was found and rescued in Hubli railway station. She was sold by mother for Rs.5000. Her mother was sex worker in Hassan bus stand. She was a drunkard too. Puja is one of her four children. She was employed in a family at Hassan. While coming from Pune with employer’s family, she alighted at Hubli and hid somewhere. SATHI rescued her and produced before CWC. Later CWC took action to trace the parents. They were traced in Hassan. Grandma and elder sister appeared before CWC. Later child was transferred to Hassan for restoration.
II. 14 year old street girl was sexually abused by some one in Hubli. She was helped by Sneha Samsthe for delivery at KIMS. She rejected the baby and came to CWC and executed a bond of relinquishing the child. After 89 days, she came to CWC with a man whom she had married. He wanted the child back. However, the girl did not show any interest. He accused CWC of selling the children. CWC insisted to get their marriage documents before claiming the child. Later, they never came to CWC. Thereafter on a fine day, she called up and said that the man had left her and let the child be there only. After legal procedures, child was given in adoption.
III. 9 year old Suhas was the only child for a widow. He was studying in school. Her second husband does not want to keep the boy with them. So the child was continuously harassed by him. Somehow, she got to know about CWC and appeared before it for protection of his son in BCH. CWC soon issued order for a P.O. report. Thereafter, both mother and her husband appeared. He came with three other people to see the child. First husband’s brothers were called to know about the property details. They appeared before CWC and agreed to give property to the child. Now the child is in GCH and the mother comes often to see him. However, step father has not been allowed.
IV. 15 year old Shanti and 12 year old Meena (names changed) were inmates of Murugharajendra Mutt, Chitradurga. Meena is an orphan. Both of them were sent to Mutt’s branch at Sirsi where they were serving the 26 year old lady Sanyasin. Shanti developed some relationship with a person there and it turned to harassing situation. Both children escaped from Mutt to Hubli. They reached at Hubli by night. Since they were familiar with Mutt, Shanti approached an auto driver to find out Sane Mutt where she could go and stay. Auto driver took her to some remote place and sexually abused Shanti. Later, children somehow reached GCH, Hubli. Taking serious note of the matter, CWC wrote letter to Manager, Sirsi branch of the Mutt to appear before it. Some representative came from Sirsi. CWC insisted the presence of the main person of the branch. At last, lady sanyasin appeared and gave the statement. She shared that adoption is given in Mutt.
After home enquiry conducted, Shanti was sent with her grand mother, under the guardianship of Director, Cooperative Society, Challakere. One of the members, Mr Halwar knew the girl personally. Meena continued in GCH.
V. A mentally retarded child was brought before CWC by police. The child was found more than 18 years. He was habituated with homo sexuality. CWC tried to transfer the person to Beggar’s home, Hubli. However, it was rejected as he was mentally retarded. CWC kept him in BCH for a few days. Simultaneously, efforts were made to find a NGO for his rehabilitation. CWC contacted Mr Geo D’Silva of CWC, Dakshina Kannada. He suggested a NGO based at Belthangadi in DK district. Then the person was transferred to the NGO with escort.
PRACTICES OF CWC
Best practices
 Display board of CWC functionaries
 Decisions are in consensus of all members present.
 CWC does not depend only on PO report. The members counsel the child and the concerned persons.
 CWC obtains FIR from jurisdictional police, proceedings copy of concerned CWC before the process of declaring a child legally free for adoption.
 All individual files have note sheets wherein concerned Superintendent puts up for orders from CWC. CWC makes its orders and records it in the note sheet. All the members who are present sign in the file. They also sign in the proceedings book.
Wrong practices
 CWC does not sit in a line.
 Without declaring Fit Persons, two children have been for foster care.
 No seal has been made for member of CWC.
 Advertisements on abandoned babies given through field publicity office appear only in local editions of newspapers. CWC does not ensure the publication in the jurisdictional area of the child (concerned district from where the child was brought).
 CWC has never issued summons. In cases, letters are sent to parties.
 Though chairperson is from NGO sector, other NGOs in the district hardly attend CWC. Their participation is very poor in CWC functions and activities.
 Service of CWOs in the police stations have never been used for home enquiry or social investigation.
COOPERATION WITH DEPT
Good examples
 All functionaries have got ID cards.
 Diesel was provided by dept when CWC members went to Navalgund for awareness programs on JJA for anganwadi workers and NGOs.
 Officials were deputed to the anti-child marriage program based on the letter of CWC.
Bad examples
 Dept with CWC has never visited any institution run by NGOs.
 Response from DD office or state office is very slow.
OTHER INFORMATION
37 children have been given in adoption and two children in foster care. However, fit persons have not been declared. Inspection committee under DC has never met. Regarding registration of NGOs under JJA though published in newspapers, none has come forward to register so far. Lack of awareness among departments on CWC is evident. Childline has been sanctioned in Dharwad now which has yet to take shape.
Rs.100 is paid towards sitting fee. CWOs have never come to CWC. SJPU has not been strengthened in the district.



DAVANAGERE
Sitting is held on Tuesday and Friday between 10.00 am and 5.00 pm at BCH. Special meetings also are conducted on emergencies. Rs 100 is paid towards sitting fee. The other institutions in the district are GCH with a capacity of 100 girls and a school for blind girls. Ms Roopa devi, a case worker has been deputed full time for CWC sine 2 years.
Children in Beggary, mentally retarded, abandoned babies, eloped children, child labour, abused children, relinquished children, orphans, children of single parents, and children involved in theft are produced before CWC. They are brought by parents, social workers, police, NGOs, AW/CDPO, public or relatives. Majority of children belongs to SC or Muslim. 2-3 new cases come to CWC on an average. NCLP children after completion of 14 years are produced before CWC for further rehabilitation.
MEMBERS
Three members out of five are regular to CWC. The female members hardly attend CWC.
Fr. Kuriakose, director of Don Bosco, Davanagere is the chairperson. 50 year old Kuriakose serves CWC for the first term. Don Bosco has been involved in elimination and rehabilitation of child labour since a decade. His concern about children is known to everyone, but he is unable to deal with records in local language.
Mr Manjappa, who works in the department of community medicine in Bapuji Medical College for the past 11 years, is the former chairperson of CWC. He is regular to sittings though he has a busy schedule in hospital. 43 year old MSW holder, Manjappa enjoys the work and active in CWC. Hailing from Davanagere, he heads an organization namely Adarsha Samajakarya Samsthe. He is a resource person on child rights and public health, and part of NGO network.
Dr G Gitalakshmi, MBBS, MD, is another member who is a professor in Bapuji Medical College in community medicine. She has experience of 25 years in community medicine. She serves CWC for the second term, but irregular.
Ms M G Chetana who serves CWC for the first term is a Coordinator of District Tuberculosis Society. With a busy schedule, she is unable to attend CWC regularly.
Mr Basavarajappa S, who is the principal of Anganwadi Training Centre for the past 12 years, is regular to sittings. He works under Vanitha Samaja, 50 year old NGO, formed by former minister for Education, Ms Nagamma Keshavamurthy. Though an adoption agency has been sanctioned for Vanitha Samaja, it has not yet started functioning. Vanitha Samaja has given him permission to attend CWC.
Name Age Qualification Number of term Position Status
Fr Kuriakose 50 Theology First Chairperson Regular
Manjappa 43 MSW Second Member Regular
Dr G Gitalakshmi 58 MBBS, MD Second Member Irregular
M G Chetana First Member Irregular
Basavarajappa 50 MSW First Member Regular

BEST CASES HANDLED
I. Six year old Nandini belonged to Gulihatti of Chitradurga district. She accompanied her grand mother to visit Aunt’s house in Shimoga. On the way to Shimoga, Nandini missed somewhere. Later, a complaint was filed in the police station. Nandini was found in Mysore. One Madalappa-Rudramma couple had kept her in their house. Later she was employed in another person’s house where she was tortured regularly. She had forgotten her parents’ name in the due course. Her parents had contacted CWC, Bangalore. When she escaped from domestic work, police rescued her and produced before CWC, Mysore. She had only Rs.10. Her name was, at that point of time, Sampangi. She revealed that her home belonged to Chitradurga. CWC Mysore transferred her to Davanagere since there was no GCH was in Chitradurga.
CWC Davanagere traced parents and showed her. However, she did not accept them as her parents since she met them after a long duration of 6 years. Her relatives came to CWC and tried to recollect her childhood memories. Nothing worked. It was really a challenge for CWC then. Her father lost the mental balance since he lost his intimate daughter. The counselor of GCH was sent to the native village along with Nandini. It was a turning point for the child as she met her class mates in the village. They identified her as Nandini who was studying with them in primary school. Gradually she regained the memory of her parents. She was restored with the parents at the age of 12 years. Now she lives with parents and goes to school. CWC gets the follow up report through Probation Officer.
II. In Kandikere village of Harappanahalli taluk, a family kept a 6 year old girl child who was abandoned by her mother. Though admitted to school, she was not going regularly. SEEDS, a NGO based at Harappanahalli visited the village and found the child kept by them. The representatives apprised him of the illegality of having a child in their custody and suggested them to produce the child before CWC. Later, Mr Sanjeevaiah, director of SEEDS and Mr Obalappa, the person who kept the child in his custody appeared before CWC and gave a statement. The child was admitted to GCH. CWC ordered to procure a P.O. report about the child’s whereabouts. The parents and relatives of the child were located in Bagalkot district. Parents came to CWC. However, CWC transferred the child to Bagalkot CWC which has the jurisdiction over the child. She was later released to parents by Bagalkot CWC. Now she goes to school from home. P.O.’s follow up report says that she is healthy and looked after well.
Obalappa came to CWC and questioned why the child was sent to other place. He alleged that it was a sale of the child. He accused SEEDS also for taking part in the sale. CWC functionaries and staffs convinced him and sent him back.
III. 13 year old Revathi was taken to Bangalore for household work. She was employed in the house of Mr Syed Ahmed Kusgal who is engineer in BESCOM. Her mother Lakshmamma makes an earning by beedi rolling at Azad nagar of Davanagere. She was given Rs.200 as advance for the child. During a raid conducted by Child line, police and other NGOs, Revathi was rescued from home in December 2007. She was produced before CWC. The employer and his wife were summoned. They paid a compensation of Rs.35000 which was put in SBI as Fixed Deposit in the name of Chairperson, Mother and the child. Revathi was sent with her elder sister and brother in law who live in Harappanahalli taluk. CWC has taken care of getting a follow up report through P.O.
The person who motivated and manipulated the mother was none other than the Superintendent of BCH, Ranibennur, Ms Praful Kusgal.
IV. Seven year old Manasi (name changed) was begging in the bus stand and nearby places. Her parents had left her in blind woman’s home. She forcibly put her in begging. Sometimes, she was tortured too by her. Seeing her plight, a dalit leader who was a neighbor brought this into the notice off CWC. Police was directed to register a case against grand mother. However, police did not register the case. CWC wrote a letter to police why they did not register case. Thereafter, the case was registered by the police. CWC summoned the blind old woman and asked about the parents. An advertisement was placed in newspapers to locate her parents. Though efforts were made by counselor personally, parents were not located in Harihar town. Child is still in GCH and the case is in progress.
PRACTICES OF CWC
Best practices
 Quorum is ensured and CWC takes decisions in consensus.
 All members sign in the individual files and proceedings book. Dissenting members do not sign.
 One of the functionaries records the proceedings in individual file and proceedings book.
 Letter head like IN THE COURT OF CWC is used for issuing letters from CWC.
 CWC facilitated payment of compensation from the employer to the rescued child labour.
Wrong practices
 CWC does not sit in one line.
 CWC has not identified or declared any fit person. CWC has recommended Don Bosco, which is headed by chairperson, for the Fit Institution status.
 No foster care has been initiated by CWC so far.
 One of the functionaries, Mr Basavarajappa works with Vanitha Samaja which is a licensed agency for adoption, though it has not been doing it.
COOPERATION WITH DEPT
Good examples
 One ACDPO has been deputed exclusively for CWC.
 Spacious court hall, tables and chairs and waiting space for aggrieved parties are provided for CWC.
Bad examples
 SW attends the CWC meetings and makes opinions and interferes in decision making. CWC asked him to only observe the proceedings.
 There is a dearth of reference materials in CWC. Dept has not provided enough materials.
 TA bills during the spot inspection or visit have not been reimbursed.
OTHER INFORMATION
Don Bosco is a Fit Person where child labourers are sent to by CWC. Don Bosco runs a child labour rehabilitation school.



Part II
South Karnataka
1. Chamarajanagar
2. Mysore
3. Kodagu
4. Hassan
5. Mandya
6. Tumkur
7. Kolar
8. Chitradurga
9. Shimoga
10. Uttara Kannada
11. Udupi
12. Bangalore Urban- I
13. Bangalore Urban- II

CHAMARAJANAGAR
The GCH operates from a rented building with an official capacity of 50 girl children. ACDPO Ms Jayamma has been appointed as Superintendent in-charge who has no prior experiences in correctional institutions. She is unable to put up files of children. She is assisted by a house mother, a sweeper cum guard, a cook on contract and a peon. There is no SDC or PO or a counselor to assist CWC.
Sittings are held twice in a week between 11.00 am and 2.00 pm. CWC does not have a sitting hall and therefore, it manages in a small room in GCH. Those who come to CWC wait outside the building till they are called. Sitting fee was not paid till 31st October 2009.
Jeevajyothi Trust at Kollegal has been recognized as Fit Institution in the district for children in the age group of 0-6 years. Mentally retarded children also are sent to this institution. However, there is no Fit Institution for children in the age group of 6-18 years.
Chamarajanagar district has four taluks such as Chamarajanagar, Kollegal, Gundlupet and Yelandur. There are many instances of child labour, bonded labour, drop out children and child marriage in the district. In Hanur belt of Kollegal taluk, a large number of children works as bonded labour in farms. However, such cases are not brought by CDPOs or police or NGOs to the CWC for justice.
MEMBERS
There were five members initially. However, two members including the only lady member submitted their resignation. Thereafter, there was no recruitment.
Mr B.S.Basavaraj, chairperson heads an organization, Adivasi mathu Graminabhivruddi Samsthe at Chamarajanagar for the past 7-8 years. 37 year old Basavaraj is a post graduate in Social Work and Sociology from Mysore University. He has been in the field of child labour rehabilitation for the past 10 years. His organization runs child labour rehabilitation schools at Chamarajanagar. He is regular to sittings. He is a recipient of state award given away by DoL.
Mr Mahesh M is a post graduate in Social Work who has been working on child labour issues since 2002. 30-year old Mahesh was Project Director in SCLP under the Deputy Commissioner. He looked after child labour schools in the district under the project. He is regular to sittings.
Mr Chandra Nayaka is a post graduate in Sociology and a law graduate. 48-year old Nayak was practicing law at K R Nagar in Mysore district. Since his wife, a school teacher got transferred to Chamarajanagar, he shifted with her. He regularly attends CWC sittings. He does not have any prior experience in children’s issues.
Ms Kavitha, 30 year old, a post graduate in Social Work, has never attended sittings. She submitted her resignation as she got a job in Bangalore.
Mr Chandrasekhar, 40 year old, is a graduate in Sociology. He attended only 4-5 sittings and later was absent regularly. He submitted his resignation later.
Name Age Qualification Number of term Position Status
B S Basavaraj 37 Theology First Chairperson Regular
Mahesh M 30 MSW First Member Regular
Chandra Nayak 48 MA, LLB First Member Frequent
Kavitha 30 MSW First Member Resigned
Chandrasekhar 40 MSW Second Member resigned

BEST CASES HANDLED
I. Four month old girl child was found abandoned in the bus stand during night. Some one informed the police about it and eventually police rescued and admitted it to government hospital. Hospital staffs had a connection with a Tamil couple from Chikkahole who wanted a child in adoption. In fact, after police left the child in hospital, it was given to the Tamil couple and brought back in morning.
Police collected the medical report and produced the child before CWC. Child was transferred to Jeevanjyothi Trust, the adoption agency at Kollegal. Tamil couple appeared and requested CWC for the child in adoption. CWC informed them to register their name with adoption agency. It was made clear that this particular child could not be given in adoption to them.
II. Nine year old G from Mandya, an orphan reached Bangalore city by train. Searching for food, she approached auto drivers. Four of them took her to a remote place and sexually abused her. Later some one informed child helpline about her condition. She was rescued and rehabilitated in BOSCO to produce before CWC. She was transferred to Chamarajanagar for further rehabilitation. She ran away from GCH and went to Mandya only to return through CWC Mandya. Now she is in GCH, Chamarajanagar. However, CWC did not initiate any criminal proceedings against her abusers who are still at large.
III. 13 year old Suresh was a helper in a panipuri shop in Chamarajanagar town. He was rescued during a raid conducted by DoL and NGOs. He was produced before CWC and rehabilitated in Adivasi mathu Graminabhivruddi Samsthe, run by chairperson. He passed SSLC with 70% marks and has joined PUC. However, his organization has neither attained the status of fit institution nor a fit person.
PRACTICES OF CWC
Best practices
 CWC facilitated a receipt of Rs.5000 as compensation for a 16 year old child worker, Gopal Singh from Rajastan who was working in a provision store at Gundlupet. Parents were summoned and released to them with National Savings Certificate of the compensation amount from the employer.
 CWC initiated a workshop on JJA for D.Ed students at Siddartha and Sri Ramachandrappa D.Ed Colleges, Govt Degree College and JSS ITI in coordination with NCLP in June-August 2008. 380 students were addressed by these programs.
 CWC has attained good support from town police of Chamarajanagar.
Wrong practices
 16 year old Gopal Singh who was rescued from a provision store was placed in the rehabilitation centre run by Chairperson for 4 days. However, the organization is neither a Fit Institution nor a Fit Person. CWC did not follow any such procedures to declare the centre as Fit Person to keep the child.
 No fit persons have been declared by CWC.
 CWC does not sit in a line and found it difficult to ensure quorum in all sittings.
 Sitting is conducted in Superintendent’s chamber.
 Child labour cases were not produced before CWC though chairperson and a member work for the rehabilitation of child labour.
 CWC has never visited any residential centre run by NGOs or GO.
COOPERATION WITH DEPT
Good examples
 District Women and Child Development Officer, Mr Ramakrishnappa has showed concern and visited CWC for a short period.
 CWC was unable to list the good work extended by DWCD.
Bad examples
 DD has never attended CWC. The letters come to CWC are not served in time. There was an open fight between CWC and DD office when a workshop on child protection and care was organized by DWCD at Chamarajanagar wherein CWC functionaries were not invited. It was published in newspapers in the district.
 DWCD officials like CDPO or AW has never produced any child before CWC so far.
 No court hall, waiting hall, furniture, assistants, and counselor were provided by department.
 DD office always dominated CWC to establish its superiority and therefore, a cold war has continued between the two.
 DD office delayed delivery of letters coming from state office or other departments or organizations addressed to CWC.
OTHER INFORMATION
Under the head of vocational training, a cheque of Rs.25000 was issued to GREEN, a NGO at Santhemarahalli for conducting tailoring course for children of GCH. CWC has found that the attendance sheet given by the NGO was false. In fact, there was no proposal by GREEN to conduct the training program. Superintendent release a cheque based on the oral order of DD.









MYSORE
Sittings are conducted at GCH, Lalitmahal Palace Road on Every Tuesday and Friday between 11.00 am and 4.00 pm. Probation Officer Ms Nagarathnamma assists CWC with clerical work. Superintendents of GCH and BCH, P.O.s of Homes and a female counselor attend the sittings. There is a state home for women in the city where children after 18 years are sent to. GCH has its own building whereas BCH functions in a rented building.
CWC has a spacious court hall with enough ventilation and natural light. Sitting arrangements have been made in the court hall as well as in the waiting room. There is a counseling room beside the hall for in camera proceedings. Police, NGOs, Anganwadi workers and public produce children before CWC. Abandoned babies, child labour, trafficked children, children in beggary, orphans, children of single and broken parents, referral cases by JJB, abused children and transferred children are produced. Most of the cases produced are from city.
Bapuji Children’s Home is the adoption agency in the district which regularly attends the sittings of CWC. Children below 6 years are transferred to Bapuji for rehabilitation. SJPU has been set up in the city with the support of ECHO, Bangalore.
MEMBERS
All the members are active in CWC.
Dr R Nagaraju, a retired professor of Social Work from Mysore University, is the chairperson. Serving for the second term as Chairperson, 66 year old Nagaraju has got immense experiences as Executive Director of GUARD, a NGO working on community rural development. He is regular to sittings.
Mr H Raju, who retired as Asst Director in DWCD, serves CWC for the second term. 66 year old Raju is Executive Committee member in GUARD. Concerned about the child welfare, he is knowledgeable about the rules and regulations of correctional institutions.
Mr P.P.Baburaj is a post graduate in Political Science, a graduate of law and a diploma holder in Journalism and Mass Communication. 44 year old Baburaj has served as National Coordinator of Campaign Against Child Labour (CACL) and Project Director of Child Labour Elimination Project of ILO in Chamarajanagar district. He is a trainer in child rights, juvenile justice mechanism and law. Hailing from Mysore, he serves for the first term in CWC. In the beginning of the term, he was irregular but later became regular.
Ms Nalini Mothi, 49 year old, has expertise on clinical psychology, child health and medical psychiatry. Hailing from Mysore, she serves CWC for the first term. Concerned about child health, she looks after Asha Kirana Hospital for the HIV/AIDS victims at Mysore. She is regular to CWC.
Mr N T Venkatesh is Associate Director of RLHP, a NGO working on slum governance, street children and deprived women. 42 year old Venkatesh is a post graduate in Social Work. RLHP runs two child rehabilitation centres namely Asha Kirana for boys and Asha Bhavana for girls in the district. However, both of them have not yet got recognition under JJA. Venkatesh is under work pressure of his office to provide enough time for CWC.
Name Age Qualification Number of term Position Status
Dr R Nagaraju 66 MA, PhD Second Chairperson Regular
H Raju 66 MSW Second Member Regular
P.P.Baburaj 44 MA, LLB, PGDJC First Member Regular
Nalini Mothi 49 M Sc First Member Regular
N T Venkatesh 42 MSW First Member Regular

BEST CASES HANDLED
I. 15-year old Meena Kumari was a domestic help in multi-storied house at Jayalakshmipuram of Mysore city. She belonged to a taluk of Mandya. She had to work both in the house and beauty parlor run by the employer’s wife. Unable to bear the work load, she escaped from the house and met the auto rickshaw drivers who in turn dropped her to the police station. Police later produced the child before CWC. After counseling the child, she was admitted to the reception unit in GCH. Parents were summoned and facts were collected. Later employers were summoned and their version also was taken. Home enquiry was conducted to understand the whereabouts of the child. A doctor practicing in her village facilitated her transfer as domestic help in his relative’s house in Mysore. She was a school drop out and had remained at home. The employer is a Divisional Manager of LIC. CWC facilitated a payment of Rs.12000 by the employer to the child in the form of National Savings Certificate. Parents executed a bond vowing that they would put her into some vocational training. She was released to the parents.
II. 10 year old Zabiullah was a bonded labour in a house at Aldoor of Chikamaglur district. After school hours, he was put to work in the cycle shop of the employer. His mother was a tenant in his house earlier when she came from Mysore to work as a wage labour in the coffee estate. She had taken Rs.2500 from him on an emergency on monthly interest. She used to pay the monthly interest regularly. However, on a fine day, he asked her to pay the whole amount immediately or leave the child with him as mortgage. Since she did not have money, she was beaten and forcibly sent to Mysore. Her husband who was a worker in APMC, Mysore expelled and abused her for leaving the child at Aldoor. However, he did not take any step further. Soon, he died and she started living with her mother. She approached the Udayagiri police to register the case. But the police directed her to go to Chikamaglur and register the case there. It was unaffordable for her. She approached People’s Legal Forum, a legal aid agency in Mysore and filed an application before CWC. Hearing the complaint, CWC issued an order to Udayagiri police to register her complaint and transfer it to the jurisdictional police station and submit its copy to CWC. Police registered the case and sent it to Aldoor for further action. A letter was issued to the district labour officer also to take action. The news appeared in the media and the district administration took up the case through labour department in Chikamaglur.
Child was rescued by the labour department from Aldoor. Later he was transferred to Mysore BCH. CWC handed over the child to his mother. The case against the employer is going on.
III. 12 year old P ran away from domestic work and reached the bus stand to get some money to travel back to her native place of Harihar. The drivers in the bus stand took her to H D Kote town police station. Later the child was produced before CWC. On hearing her, CWC came to know that his employer, Swamy was harassing her regularly. P was brought by him from Harihar on the pretext of foster parentage. However, he had not made any legal documents for taking the child. Adoption process also was not done. CWC collated all information related to the child. She is an orphan and was brought up in a handicapped school at Harihar. Seeing her story appeared in a newspaper, Swamy, a government employee of ZP engineering division traveled to Harihar and brought her to Kote. He made promises of education and good health of the child. However, she remained at home as a domestic help. A home enquiry was conducted. Based on her statement and home enquiry report, CWC put efforts to make a compensation for her. However, Swamy refused to make any kind of compensation for her future life. Thereafter, CWC issued an order to Kote town police to register a criminal case against Swamy under Sec.23 and 26 of JJA and Sec. 374 of IPC and send a copy of the FIR to CWC. Police registered the case and arrested him. He was later released on station bail. P has now taken up school education and is in GCH. The case against Swamy is on.
IV. Three girls of Karnataka who were rescued from sexual exploitation in Mumbai were produced by Odanadi Samsthe on 22.08.2008 before CWC. Mumbai CWC had sent them to Odanadi with an order for producing them before CWC, Mysore. However, Odanadi produced the girls after 22 days. Notice was issued to Odanadi asking for explanation for delay and other documents related to admission of girls in Odanadi hostel. Later on, Odanadi directors appeared before CWC and submitted the relevant records. CWC made them understand the powers and functions of CWC. Since the girls were trafficked from Karnataka, it was a challenge to rehabilitate them through Girls’ Home.
A counselor visited their place along with one girl and submitted a report of the background of the girls. Her report said that the situation at home of the Muslim girls would push them again to the flesh trade. CWC took a decision not to send the Muslim girls back home. The other girl from Haveri, Geetha was released to her elder sister who lives in Bangalore. The Muslim girls were transferred with certain conditions to Odanadi which runs rehabilitation centre for trafficked women. Since Odanadi was not a fit institution under JJ Act and not registered under the Act, CWC had to take a decision in the best interests of the children. The trafficked girls could not have been rehabilitated in the Girls’ Home as there was no facility for vocational training for them. They were tested HIV positive and very weak. Later, the girls were produced before CWC for release to their parents and CWC restored them with parents after seeing all the documents.

V. 18 year old K was a domestic help in a doctor couple’s house in Mysore. Hailing from Ranebennur, she was sent to Mysore by another doctor working in Haveri district. She was admitted to GCH by police on the basis of a complaint by her employers. FIR was filed against her on suspected theft of Rs.3.75 lakhs. Filing of FIR was brought to the notice of CWC only later. After repeated counseling, CWC got convinced that Kala was only a suspect. Doctor couple has no strong evidence against her. Since there was a FIR, the case had to go to JJB. Her age is a disputable matter as Ration Card and School certificate show different age. CWC initiated counseling with the couple to withdraw the complaint against her since there was no evidence on the allegation. Later the doctor appeared before CWC and made a statement to withdraw the case. K was released to the mother who had come from Ranibennur. Police later filed a ‘B’ report to the court and closed the case.


PRACTICES OF CWC
Best practices
 CWC sits in a line and decisions are taken in consensus.
 Counseling is done by CWC functionaries too.
 Counseling room, waiting hall, sitting arrangements for parties, exclusive P.O. for CWC work have been provided.
 CWC has established good rapport with police by conducting joint training programs for the personnel.
 CWC has identified fit persons and sent children with them during vacations.
 Orders and proceedings are recorded by CWC functionaries only. Extract is recorded by P.O.
 Criminal cases have been filed through police against employers of children under JJ Act.
 Facilitated establishment of SJPU in the district and efforts were made to strengthen it.
 CWC visited various NGOs running residential centres for children in the city.
 CWC has raised funds through donors for extra needs of children.
 Summoned police officials, heads of institutions, teachers and parents in the cases of violation of rules and rights of children.
 CWC has an email account.
Wrong practices
 CWC has declared children of other jurisdictions legally free for adoption, produced by Bapuji Children’s Home, the adoption agency in the district. CWC should have availed it from the jurisdictional CWC.
 CWC has not yet collected the list of organizations running residential centres for children and initiated any action on them.
 In some cases, children of other districts were released to parents without transferring the cases to jurisdictional CWCs.
 CWC has not undertaken periodical review of children living in the Homes.
 Fit institutions have not been recommended yet by CWC.
COOPERATION WITH DEPT
Good examples
 SW visits CWC occasionally and finds out any administrative support is required.
 CWC functionaries were invited to a workshop on child related issues organized by DWCD.
Bad examples
 There was no proper response from DD office during the previous DD’s period.
 A workshop was organized by DWCD for CDPOs, institutional staffs and NGO personnel on child rights and JJA. However, date was not fixed in consensus with CWC sitting date. Moreover, CWC functionaries were not invited for the workshop as Guests or Resource Persons. They were invited as participants on the previous day. None attended the workshop as sitting was held on the same day.
 Vehicular support was not provided by the dept for CWC functionaries to visit the institutions in the district.
 CDPOs have never produced or referred any case of children to CWC.




KODAGU
Sittings are held at BCH, Madikeri at least twice in a month. Emergency meetings also are held. 3-4 cases come on every sitting on an average. There are only four members in the Committee right now. Three members are regular to sittings. Rs. 120 is paid towards sitting fee along with TA. Superintendent Ms Mumtaz assists CWC during sittings. BCH has its own building. It was OH earlier and later converted into BCH. However, staff pattern continues the same. There are no posts like Probation Officer, counselor and SDA in BCH. There is no court hall for CWC. Sitting is held in the chamber of Superintendent. Since there is no GCH, girl children are sent to either Hassan or Mysore.
Run away children, abandoned babies, orphans, children of broken families, neglected children, abused girl children, child labour and poor children, other than referrals from JJB come before CWC. They are brought by police or well wishers.
Superintendent is PO in charge under P.O.Act.
MEMBERS
Though there are five members in the committee, women members are regularly absent.
Mr T C Thammaiah who retired as Tahsildar in 2003 is the chairperson. 65 year ld Thammaiah has the experience of dealing with child labour and bonded labour cases at the dept level. He serves for the second term in CWC. He did not have any other prior experience in children’s activities.
Dr S M Kaverappa, MBBS is a practicing doctor at Napoklu. He was Vice President of Indian Coffee Board till three months back. He has been associated with various organizations. 50 year old Kaverappa is known for social work also. However, he hardly finds time to give to CWC. He serves for the first term in CWC.
Mr H K Vasudeva, a post graduate in Social Work, is coordinator in Total Sanitation Campaign of Zilla Panchayat, Kodagu for the past 3 years. Earlier, he was part time lecturer in a college in Madikeri. Serving second term in CWC, he is under pressure of work load and irregular to CWC.
Ms Arathi Shenoy is a part time lecturer and a social worker on women’s empowerment in the area. 45 year old Shenoy is a post graduate in Business Administration and a recipient of Kittur Rani Chennamma Award given by DWCD. She serves CWC for the first term.
Ms Baby is a post graduate in Social Work. Serving for the second term in CWC, she resigned in February 2008 after she got a job of counselor in PPTC.
Name Age Qualification Number of term Position Status
T C Thammaiah 65 KAS retd. Second Chairperson Regular
Dr S M Kaverappa 50 MBBS First Member Frequent
H K Vasudeva 40 MSW Second Member Irregular
Arathi Shenoy 45 MBA First Member Irregular
Baby 32 MSW First Member Resigned

BEST CASES HANDLED
I. 14-year old Rajesh who hails from Hunsur in Mysore district had gone to Kerala border to sell some petty things. He was caught by police for theft. He was not a habitual offender but police took him in a suspicious circumstance. Rajesh was in the BCH for 4 years. After constitution of CWCs in Kerala, his case was produced before it. CWC found him that he belonged to Karnataka. On his fifth year, he was transferred to Bangalore CWC. Later, CWC Bangalore transferred him to Kodagu. By the time he reached Kodagu, he had forgotten the place and language. He vaguely remembered Kushalnagar and Mysore. Since he lived in Kerala till he attained 14 years of age, his language got corrupted. He spoke mixed and broken languages together leading to vague communication. He did not have a language of his own.
Superintendent of BCH contacted Hunsur Sub Inspector. He confirmed that there was a location with the specifications. Boy was taken to rural station in Hunsur. Fortunately, one person traveling in a bus identified him there. Through him, his family was traced. He has mother and brothers. Father passed away due to grief of his disappearance. His family was located within a month of his arrival to BCH. He was restless and had suicidal tendency. CWC summoned the family members and later released him to mother.
II. 6-year old Sachin was begging in Madikeri town. He was produced by police before CWC. He hailed from Mysore. He was unable to tell about his parents’ name. Superintendent of BCH, Ms Mumtaz spoke about children’s issues in radio. On the next day, villagers who had listened to the radio talk called up from Mysore and enquired about the child. Parents came from Mysore and identified Sachin. They had in fact conducted his posthumous rituals under the impression of his death. They showed his photograph which had some resemblance. However, child did not recognize them as he had forgotten them. CWC got all the documents from parents related to the child. On the next day of CWC meeting, about 15 persons came from Mysore to confirm that they are the parents of the child. CWC called for a P.O. report of the child. based on the report, CWC released the child to parents. It was found that he had many relatives in his native place. He was nine years when released.
III. When mother abandoned him, Guruswamy was only 5 years old. He was polio-affected. He earned some food by helping the passengers in Majestic of Bangalore. He was brought to a coffee estate in Kodagu to work. However, he was being harassed by employer. A school teacher found him and referred him to CWC. When he came to CWC, there was only Observation Home. Therefore, he was transferred to Bangalore. However, his polio got aggravated as none gave proper attention to his problem. Since he had attachment with his employer, he wanted to come back to Kodagu. Thereafter, he was put in OH, Madikeri. His age was 14 years then and studying in 4th standard. He started behaving deviant. He was sent to Prathibha Karanji, Bangalore to participate in the competitions. It was a turning point in his life. He was shy about attending school in 5th standard and showed interest in open school system. Later private tuition was provided to him. He appeared for and passed SSLC examinations. He also learnt English during the period.
Later, on the wish of Guruswamy, he was sent to Bangalore. However, since proper care was not given to him, he was transferred to Mysore where district shelter was already closed. Guruswamy was about to complete 18 years then. He had completed his first PUC. Ms Mumtaz, Superintendent found a foster parent for him in Madikeri and he could pass PUC with 72% of marks. However, his deviant behaviour was intolerable. Now he has taken up BSW and joined in BCM hostel. He has been doing some part time job in a computer centre in Madikeri and regained his health.
IV. 19 year old L of Kodagu was a domestic help in a Bank Manager’s house in Udupi. When she became pregnant, she was sent back to Kodagu. After delivery, she kept the female baby for 11 days with her. She consulted an anganwadi worker about relinquishing the child, who directed her to CWC. L came to CWC with her father and wanted to relinquish the child. CWC gave her three months’ time to reconsider the decision and called her again. She was consistent about her decision. Another two months were given. Within this period, CWC placed advertisement in newspapers as per law and after two months, declared the child legally free for adoption. Child has been sent to Bapuji Children’s Home, Mysore.
V. A mother abandoned a six-month old child in KSRTC bus stand, Madikeri. It was soon handed over to police who brought it before CWC. Child was immediately sent to Bapuji Children’s Home, Mysore. As per law, information of the child was placed in newspapers in Kodagu to trace the biological parents. An old lady saw it and appeared before CWC to claim the child. She is sweeper in Madikeri Municipality. Her only daughter who is not sound minded had been missing since a few months. Old lady claimed the child as her grand child. She produced the Bhagyalakshmi scheme details. A home enquiry was ordered wherein it was found that the facts were true. It was informed to Bapuji Children’s Home. Thereafter, Mysore CWC released the child to grand mother.

PRACTICES OF CWC
Best practices
 Decisions are taken in consensus and quorum is guaranteed.
 Local donors have been identified to provide special food, clothes and books to children in Home.
 Sittings are conducted on emergencies.
 Declared children who were sent to Bapuji Children’s Home, Mysore legally free for adoption and sent the certificate to Mysore.
 CWC has taken care of getting follow up report of children sent to various CWCs from Kodagu.
Wrong practices
 Though declaration made for legally free for adoption, CWC does not use the specific format under JJA.
 Only proceedings file is maintained wherein all functionaries sign. Extract of the individual files is written in the proceedings file. The list of cases is not written before the proceedings recorded.
 CWC does not take cognizance of child labour cases. They are sent to Dept of Labour for rehabilitation. No action is taken against employer on abuse or exploitation.
 Sitting is conducted in Superintendent’s chamber. There is no court hall for CWC.
 Sitting is conducted only once in a fortnight.
 CWC has restored children of other jurisdiction with their parents. Such children should have transferred to jurisdictional CWC for effective restoration and follow up.



COOPERATION WITH DEPT
Good examples
 CWC is unable to recollect at least one example of good cooperation with DWCD.
Bad examples
 For the last 2 years, DD has never visited CWC.
 Dept has not given the list of NGOs though letter was written by CWC.
 Separate court hall, furniture or staffs have never been provided to CWC.
OTHER INFORMATION
Superintendent had a tough time since house mother was suffering from arthritis. It was multiplied with the Guard who is an old man drunk and slept during the night. There was no provision for tuition teacher in BCH since the number of children going for SSLC was only one. She sought help from a foreign lady to sponsor a tuition teacher and a guard. Now, BCH children are helped by a tuition teacher and a guard.
There is one child labour rehabilitation school at Moornad under NCLP. Children are sent to BCH after completion of their 14 years of age. NGOs do not come to CWC to produce children.
In the district KCCW runs a Home for children. CWC insisted it to register the Home under JJA. However, KCCW said that it was not required. Though DD was informed, nothing happened thereafter. Cheshire Home is running a centre for mentally retarded children at Polibetta. Though it is good and well maintained, it has not been registered under JJA. Similarly, Swastha is running a centre for MR children at Suntikoppa, which also has not been registered under JJA.


HASSAN
Sitting is held on Tuesday and Friday between 2.00 am and 5.00 pm at BCH which functions in its own building. 7-8 cases are dealt with in each sitting. Rs 100 is paid towards sitting fee. The other institution in the district is GCH with a capacity of 50 girls. It does not have its own building and operates from a granted building of Taluk Board. Since the building is in a dilapidated situation, a new building has been built. However, due to discrepancy in billing with the contractor, the handing over process of the building is pending. Therefore, 33 girls sleep in one small room in the GCH.
Children in Beggary, abandoned babies, orphans, rag pickers, children of single parents, child labour, abused children, HIV affected children and relinquished children are produced before CWC. They are brought by parents, police, Jeevandhara (NGO), AW and hospital staff. Cases of Chikamaglur district also come as there is no CWC there. More number of cases comes from three taluks namely Hassan, Holenarsipur, Arsikere and Channarayapatna.
There are three fit institutions in the district namely Blue Mountain (Hassan), Joseph Nagar (Aloor taluk) and Mary Immaculate Convent (Shettihalli, Aloor taluk). There are no fit persons recognized by CWC.
Mr Papa Bovi and Ms Priya Chacko are the Superintendents of BCH and GCH respectively. Ms Ambika, P.O., Counselor and a teacher of BCH assist CWC. Mr Mallesh, P.O. under P.O. Act also comes to the CWC regularly.
MEMBERS
There are only three members at present after two left CWC.
Dr H K Palaksha, MBBS, DCH, DMB, a practicing pediatrician is the Chairperson. In the previous Committee, he was a member. He is founder trustee and President of Thavaru Public Charitable Trust since December 2006. His organization has programs for children in distress. It works with CWC in care and protection of children in the district. 40-year old Palaksha is concerned about children and attends CWC regularly.
Ms G S Sheshamma, MA, B.Ed, is a retired High School teacher and serves CWC for the second term. She is busy with various committees in the district like Bharatiya Shikshana Mandal, SPCA, DV Committee, unaided teachers federation and Vachana Sahitya Academy. She is Secretary of Thavaru Charitable Trust also. 64 year old Sheshamma is district secretary of BJP Mahila Morcha. She has owned Kamala Convent which runs classes for children from 1st to 7th standards. She is regular to CWC.
Ms M.S. Madhura, B.A., B.Ed, was a high school teacher in a private school. 43 year old Madhura is President of Surakshita Mahila Mathu Makkala Abhivruddi Datti Sangha, a NGO working since 1989. The organization is running a Shishu Kendra, a day care centre with the support of DWCD. Her organization was awarded Kittur Rani Chennamma award by DWCD. She was appointed to CWC since July 2008 on the vacancy.
Other members were Mr Rajaram, a retired E.O. who resigned from CWC in May 2008 when he shifted to Bangalore and Fr. Peter Frank who resigned citing the reason of personal work load in July 2009. Both positions have remained vacant since they left.
Name Age Qualification Number of term Position Status
Dr H K Palaksha 40 MBBS, DCH, DMB First Chairperson Regular
G S Sheshamma 64 MA, B.Ed Second Member Regular
M S Madhura 43 MA, B.Ed First Member Regular
Rajaram 63 Retd E.O. Second Member Resigned
Fr. Peter Frank 50 Theology Second Member Resigned

BEST CASES HANDLED
I. CWC in collaboration with DWCD and police conducted ‘Operation Bikshatane’ in the town a year back to rescue children in beggary. 12 children including girls were rescued in the operation. They were kept in GCH and BCH. Two of them were sent to Kamadhenu Adoption Agency since they were below 6 years. Parents never came for the children. However, children themselves escaped from Home. CWC has issued order to Kamadhenu to produce the two children before CWC. But, adoption agency has refused it and been asking for money spent on the children’s stay. The agency’s license has expired now. CWC is waiting for the next process.
II. 10 year old Lavanya (name changed) was given in adoption to a widow living in Bangalore. She was a student in 5th standard in government school. CWC took initiative to give the orphan child in adoption. Adoptive parent came to GCH and saw the child. Series of counseling were conducted with the child about placing her in their custody. She agreed at the end of the process. Adoptive parent and her relatives also underwent the process of counseling. In the meantime, CWC declared the child legally free for adoption after the legal procedures followed. Thereafter, all the documents related to Lavanya including her consent letter were sent to Kamadhenu, adoption agency for further process of adoption. Child was sent to the widow. She has joined 5th standard in a school in Bangalore. She visited CWC twice with her adoptive parent after she was placed in adoption. Petition has been filed in the court and the adoption deed is pending there.
III. The story of 4 year old Suman (name changed) is never ending. His mother, HIV affected, came to CWC and submitted a letter for her son’s rehabilitation. In the letter, she said that she would not be able to look after him and therefore was willing to hand him over to CWC. Child was transferred to Kamadhenu Shishu Kendra, adoption agency for rehabilitation. After two weeks, CWC asked adoption agency to produce the child. However, agency refused to produce. Agency wanted to give the child in adoption and insisted CWC to declare the child legally free for adoption. CWC rejected the proposal and wrote to the mother to appear before it. After three weeks, child’s uncle and aunt appeared before CWC and informed that child’s mother was dead and expressed their wish to take responsibility of the child. CWC summoned other relatives too. A home enquiry was ordered. Child’s genealogical tree was collected and later confirmed that the person appeared was genuine maternal uncle of the child. Uncle has two children and belongs to lower middle class. CWC passed an order to the adoption agency to restore the child with maternal uncle. However, agency refused to comply with the order and approached the civil court and got a stay order from the ACJ. CWC hired a private lawyer to defend it. Agency argued that if CWC wished to give the child to maternal uncle, there should be an adoption process.
IV. 12 year old Vasanthi (name changed) was raped by a police constable on the way to her school at Arsikere. Her mother had died and father remarried and was living with the second wife. After this incident, police man was suspended and Vasanthi was placed in GCH for care and protection. Government announced Rs.2 lakh as compensation to the rape victim. She regained the mental status now and wanted to go home. Her cousin sister also was in GCH. When she went home, Vasanthi felt homesick. Child was sent along with her brother to Bangalore. DC of Hassan made an enquiry about the child to give the compensation. However, she had gone to Bangalore. Therefore, the amount was transferred to Bangalore. Now the Superintendent is preparing the papers to get the amount back to Hassan GCH in order to give it to the child.
V. 10 year old Ramya was an orphan. CWC made efforts to put her in adoption. A lady from Bangalore approached CWC for adopting a child. After her husband’s death, she was alone. A home enquiry was conducted about the lady. In the meanwhile advertisement was placed in newspapers in Hassan and Chikamaglur districts to find out any claimant of the child. None came for her. Later the child was declared legally free for adoption. The child was counseled repeatedly to prepare for adoption. The adoptive parent and her relatives also were counseled. Child was in 5th standard in a school at Hassan. Her consent letter was taken for adoption. All the documents were given to Kamadhenu adoption agency for the process of adoption. Now the child goes to school from her new home at Bangalore. She visited GCH and CWC twice after went to Bangalore. The adoption deed is now in the civil court.
PRACTICES OF CWC
Best practices
 CWC sits in a line and quorum is ensured in sittings.
 35 new born children have been declared legally free for adoption.
 5 older children from Home were placed in adoption.
 CWC has facilitated study of 4 orphan children in CBSE School with the support of local donors.
 CWC functionaries joined in rescue operation to find children in beggary with DWCD and police.
Wrong practices
 CWC has not taken proper follow up of children in beggary.
 Individual files of children are signed by chairperson only.
 Only three members have been serving in the CWC bench.
 Sitting is held only for 3 hours, from 2.00 to 5.00 pm.
 Dispute is going on between Kamadhenu adoption agency and CWC. The case is in the ACJ court wherein a private lawyer has been appointed by CWC. The CWC order was questioned by the agency in a lower court. Appeal against CWC order is allowed only in Sessions Court.
COOPERATION WITH DEPT
Good examples

Bad examples
 CWC has written to Director of DWCD for special grant of Rs. one lakh for HIV infected children for their rehabilitation. However, DD has not yet forwarded the letter from the district.
 An exposure program was planned for Home children for which bus and fuel were arranged by the initiative of CWC. Permission of DD to take children out was sought. However, DD refused it at the last moment. All preparations were in vain and children felt very sad.











MANDYA
Sittings are held on Wednesday between 4.30 and 7.00 pm. Saturday is an optional day for sitting. One or two cases come before CWC in each sitting. The BCH operates in a rented building with a capacity of 30 children. The building has only one room and a toilet. At the time of visit, there were only 9 children. Girls are sent to Chamarajanagar and the infants are sent to Bapuji Children’s Home, Mysore. There are no fit institutions in the district. However, CWC has recommended 2 institutions for fit status.
MEMBERS
There are five members in committee. All of them are regular to sittings.
Mr Shivannegowda is the chairperson fir the second term who is a retired High School teacher. 65 year old Shivannegowda is an active personality who has MA and B.Ed. He was awarded best Resource Person by Directorate of Mass Education in 2004. Hailing from Mandya, he serves CWC for the second term.
Mr B K Ramaiah, 66 year old, was a lecturer in Junior college, Arsikere. Hailing from Mandya, he serves CWC for the second term. He has got a silver medal from President of India for his census work. However, he did not have any prior experiences with children’s issues nor he had any association with NGOs.
Mr Prabhakar is a post graduate and MPhil holder in Psychology. His project was on children in Govt Children’s Home. 28 year old Prabhakar has been working as a counselor in a KSAPS project at Mandya for the past 3 years.
Ms Brinda is a practicing advocate in Mandya. Serving CWC for the first term, 38 year old Brinda is a functionary of BJP. She does not have prior experience with children’s issues.
Ms Jayasheela, a post graduate in Sociology is a social worker associated with Vikasana, a NGO working on community development in Mandya district. Serving for the second term in CWC, she recently delivered a baby and was on leave. She has expertise on child issues, gender and related issues.
Name Age Qualification Number of term Position Status
Shivannegowda 65 MA, B Ed Second Chairperson Regular
B K Ramaiah 66 MA, B.Ed Second Member Regular
Prabhakar 28 MSc, M Phil First Member Regular
Brinda 38 BA, LLB First Member Regular
Jayasheela 40 M A Second Member Regular

BEST CASES HANDLED
I. Nine year old Gita was a domestic help in the house of an Executive Engineer working for the government at Tumkur. Child belonged to a nomadic family. In the house, Engineer’s wife and children lived who tortured the child regularly. Gita tolerated for about 8 months and escaped from home. A philanthropist brought her before CWC. Her employers were summoned immediately. CWC calculated the minimum wages for 8 months and asked the employer to make a compensation for the child. The employer bought a National Savings Certificate of Rs.8000 in the joint account of Superintendent and the child. Later child was transferred to Chamarajanagar as there is no GCH in Mandya. However, Gita ran away from Chamarajanagar GCH and worked in a house at Mandya. She was brought before CWC again and transferred to Chamarajanagar. Now she is coping up with the situation.
II. A new born baby was found in a bush in the outskirts of Mandya. Some one saw the child and rescued it. His family brought up the child for four years. Child’s biological mother knew it. She was seriously ill when delivered the baby in the government hospital. She had married a man after a long time love relationship. However, his family did not agree with the marriage and asked him to give her up. He abandoned her and got married again. She later had a tough time and was forced to abandon the child.
Now, mother has regained her health and wanted the child back. CWC wrote to district hospital to verify her delivery. There was no response from hospital. CWC summoned the foster parents and restored the child with its mother. Foster parents were explained about the law and thanked for saving the child from death.
III. A new born baby was found in a dust bin at Chinkuruli in Pandavapura taluk. A Muslim family rescued the baby and started bringing it up. This humanitarian gesture was reported in the newspapers. CWC took cognizance of it and informed the police to take action. The baby and the foster parents were produced before CWC. Child was sent to Bapuji Children’s Home, Mysore for the adoption process.
IV. A 23 year old dwarf woman was sexually abused in a family. When she was admitted in the hospital for delivery, a child less couple belonging to Muslim requested for the child. After negotiations, the Muslim couple got the child and went home. TV channels and newspapers campaigned for it. CWC took cognizance of it and rescued the child through police. It was sent to Bapuji Children’ Home, Mysore.
V. A Muslim woman wanted a child and she paid Rs.2500 to get one. The child was born out of an illegal relationship at Pandavapura. She never knew about the law and took the baby home. CDPO visited her house and recovered the baby and sent it to Bapuji Children’s Home. Case was referred to CWC, Mysore. CWC Mandya issued a notice to CDPO to report the incident to it and asked him why he did not bring into the notice of jurisdictional CWC.
PRACTICES OF CWC
Best practices
 CWC facilitated payment of compensation of Rs.8000 as NSC by the employer to a 9-year old girl child who was working in a house at Mandya.
 Contact has been established with police in the district.
 Quorum is ensured to conduct meeting proceedings.
 Members meet on emergencies.
Wrong practices
 Infants are sent to Bapuji Children’s Home, the adoption agency based in Mysore. However, there is no follow up from CWC. Adoption agency personnel have never appeared before CWC.
 Though abandoned babies are sent to adoption agency, CWC has never declared any child legally free for adoption.
 CWC has never made any visit to children’s residential institutions run by NGOs.
 FIR should have been filed against employer in the cases of child labour under sec.26 of JJA. However, CWC has never registered criminal charges against the employers of children though such cases have come before it.
 Help is taken from Sangh Parivar activists for home enquiry, production, release etc as a member is a key functionary of BJP.
 Fit persons have never been identified and declared by CWC.
COOPERATION WITH DEPT
Good examples
 A legal aid program was organized by DWCD and DLSA in Mandya wherein CWC functionaries were invited three times.
 CWC functionaries were invited in a taluk level ICDS meeting was organized by dept.
 Escort of Guard or Attender is made available by the dept during transfer of children.
Bad examples
 There is no reply from dept on any issues even if letters are sent officially.
 Dept has shown continuous indifference towards CWC.
 Though two institutions were recommended by CWC for fit status, there was no response from the state office so far.
TUMKUR
There are 10 taluks in the district. Sittings are held on Monday and Thursday between 2.00 and 6.00 pm. One or two cases are brought before CWC in each sitting. GCH operates from its own building. Ms Naveeda who is the Superintendent of GCH assists CWC in recording the proceedings. There are 30 orphanages and Kuteeras in the district. However, there is no fit institution. CWC has not recommended any institution for fit status. Since there is no adoption agency in the district, babies are sent to Shishu Gruh, Bangalore. Adoptive parents who visit CWC regularly are directed to Shishu Gruh.
Missing children, run away children, abandoned babies, transferred children and voluntary admissions are the common cases come before CWC. Sahayavani and Swadhar project refer children to CWC. Inner wheel club and Lekhakiyara Sangha conduct cultural programs, medical camps and picnics occasionally. The present Deputy Commissioner is very supportive to CH. He had visited CH and gifted a water filter to the children.
Counselor is wife of program officer in DD office and therefore, she dominates the GCH. CWC finds it difficult to get the work done from her.
MEMBERS
Though there are four members in the panel, women members hardly attend the sittings.
Mr M Shivalingaiah who is the chairperson is a post graduate in clinical psychology and works as clinical psychologist in Siddartha Medical College, Tumkur. 42 year old Shivalingaiah served CWC as a member in the previous committee. He gets leisure time in the afternoon and therefore sitting is conducted after noon. He comes to CWC and runs back to his office while CWC is underway. He comes back again to sign all the documents.
Mr Shankarappa is a post graduate in sociology and has vast experience in NGO sector. 47 year old Shankarappa runs a NGO since 1999 for disabled, mentally retarded, blind and hearing impaired children in Sira and Tumkur taluks. There are separate homes for boys and girls who fall in the above categories. Earlier he worked for 10 years in a NGO at Bangalore. Concerned about children, he dedicates more time for CWC.
Ms Annapurna Venkatananjappa, MA, B.Ed, is a known social worker and woman activist in the district. 57 year old Annapurna was the chairperson in the previous committee. She has been associated with Lekhakiyara Sangha (Women writers’ guild), Anti-dowry forum and district cooperative bank. She hardly finds time to devote to CWC.
Ms Hemavathi, a graduate in sociology, runs BIRDS, a NGO since 2002 in Chikkanayakanahalli taluk. Her organization works in rural development and micro finance for women. She was recruited to CWC on 10.11.2008. Her knowledge on JJA is very poor.
Mr Prasad resigned from CWC immediately after his appointment. None was replaced for the post since then.
Mr Venkatesh who served the committee resigned on 28th April 2008. Mr Kumar who was appointed never turned up. Though efforts were made to contact him, all went in vain.
Absence of women members is quite common in CWC. This has resulted in conducting the sittings with chairperson and one member. Chairperson has written a letter to DD in this regard to take an action. But nothing has happened.
Name Age Qualification Number of term Position Status
M Shivalingaiah 42 MSc Second Chairperson Regular
Shankarappa 47 M A Second Member Regular
Annapurna Venkatananjappa 57 MA, B.Ed Second Member Frequent
Hemavathi 45 B A First Member Frequent
Prasad - LLB First Member Resigned

BEST CASES HANDLED
I. Two girl children aged 6 years and 10 years of Kudligi were bought by a rich couple in Kunigal of Tumkur district. Children were regularly tortured. Noticing the status of children, neighbours wrote to Labour Commissioner to rescue the children. As a result, Labour Inspector with the permission of Tahsildar visited the house and released the children. They were brought to GCH for shelter.
The children were later produced before CWC. Taking cognizance of the problem, CWC issued notice to the couple and parents. A home enquiry was ordered about the whereabouts of children. Couple were summoned and explained about the consequences of the offence committed. Parents too appeared before CWC. Minimum wages were calculated to pay compensation for the labour of children and the couple made a fixed deposit of Rs.18000 in a joint account of children and parents. The couple and parents executed an undertaking on stamp paper separately that they would never employ children. Parents vowed that they would bring the children to the Govt home if there was any difficulty to bring them up. A group of 40 people entered CWC court hall forcibly and raised voice in favour of the couple while the enquiry was going on. All of them were convinced and sent back.
Children were restored with parents with the supervision of Davanagere CWC.
II. A couple took an abandoned baby from a village near Gubbi and brought it up. A taluk leader approached Chief Minister for economic support to the child. It was referred to the DWCD district office in February 2007. CWC took notice of it and issued summons to the ‘parents’. Though summons were sent repeatedly, they did not appear. Interference of political leaders and Swamiji in CWC function was tremendous. CWC informed the issue to SP. He directed the Circle Inspector who visited the house and rescued the baby. Thereafter, the ‘parents’ appeared before CWC. They had applied for a child in adoption to Amulya Shishu Gruh, run by DWCD at Gulbarga. The husband was educated upto 10th standard while wife was illiterate.
CWC decided to give the child in foster care to the parents. A petition was filed in Sessions Court of Tumkur to get the child in adoption under GAWA. However, the lawyers misguided the couple on the issue. Foster care was repeatedly given to the ‘parents’ for a period of 3 months. In the meantime, four judges came on transfer and it was a difficult time for CWC. Chairperson has appeared in the court for 5 times. He personally went to the Judge’s chamber and explained about the role and powers of CWC, other than submitting a detailed letter thereof. However, the judge got transferred. A new judge has taken charge now. The case is on.
III. 65-year old man, R had relationship with a woman of the village and a girl child out of it. The baby was brought up by her. However after one and a half years, she abandoned and ran away. He took up the baby and brought to GCH for voluntary admission. Child was sent to Shishu Gruh, Bangalore. Advertisement was placed in newspapers to trace the original parents as per law. CWC ordered for a home enquiry wherein it was known that the man brought the child was biological father of the child. He has wife, three children and grand children. They appeared before CWC and denied the relationship with the woman. They argued that everything was lie. However, R agreed that he was the biological father and mother had abandoned. Now he wanted the child back. CWC insisted for the presence of mother too. After a month, mother was produced before CWC. Their marriage was held in a local temple. Wedding details, photographs, property details, witnesses etc were verified by CWC. Both wanted the child back. CWC asked the father to give property in the name of mother and child for their safe future and be parents of the child officially. He gifted 2 acres of land in the name of mother and child. R executed an undertaking on bond paper. The child was called back from Shishu Gruh and released to parents.
IV. Six year old Kavya was employed as a domestic help in a businessman’s house at Sadashivanagar of Tumkur. Her aunt had left her there for work. Kavya had a tough time there as she developed dermatitis and suffered injuries over body. She had to work in the house from 5 am to 12 pm. On a tip off by some philanthropist, Labour department swung into action and rescued the child and admitted her in GCH. Case was filed against the employer. However, due to influence of local MLA, the case was withdrawn by the department. Employer has agreed to provide her education. Kavya’s aunt came to CWC. She was warned against employment of child. Now she is in 5th standard at Govt HPS, Tumkur.
PRACTICES OF CWC
Best practices
 CWC conducts sitting in its own court hall.
 Names of CWC functionaries have been displayed on the wall prominently.
 CWC has never cared any political pressure or influence in children’s cases.
 CWC has developed a format of undertaking for parents to execute while children are restored with them.
Wrong practices
 CWC does not sit in a line. CWC looks like a principal’s chamber.
 Chairperson doesn’t have the capability of listening and appears restless. He doesn’t seek opinions of his colleagues.
 Orders are signed only by chairperson. Members sign only in the attendance book and Minutes book, not in any other records.
 Chairperson hardly attended training programs or meetings related to children’s issues as he did not have time.
 CWC has never visited any NGO or recommended any NGO for fit institution.
 Child friendly atmosphere has not been created in the court hall as posters or child friendly things have not been displayed.
 CWC does not have a list of NGOs, though two members are directors of NGOs.
 Fit persons have never been identified for better rehabilitation of children.
COOPERATION WITH DEPT
Good examples
 Letters or budget related notes are sent regularly to CWC from DD office. It was smoothened only after the intervention of CWC. Response to letters of CWC is faster now.
 In the cases of abandoned babies, political calls are common to DD who in turn calls up Superintendent. However, it does not come to CWC.
 A workshop was organized by DWCD for Sub Inspectors and CDPOs at the district level. Magistrates from the civil court and CWC members were the resource persons.
 In a cluster level meeting of anganwadi workers organized by DWCD, Chairperson and Mr Shankarappa were the resource persons. They spoke about JJA, adoption issues, status of children and protection issues.
Bad examples
 In a meeting of Superintendents, Asst Director questioned the powers of CWC. After coming to know about it, CWC served a show cause notice to AD. Thereafter, DD conveyed sorry for the incident.
 CWC had assigned SDA of GCH of visiting orphanages and hostels in the district to find out the number of children, facilities, source of funds etc. However, DD objected to it and stopped him from carrying out the job.
 DD has never encouraged recommendation of NGO from CWC.
 Though letters were written to DD, furniture has not been provided since three years.
OTHER INFORMATION
In Chikkanayakanahalli taluk, the number of child labour in domestic sector and mining is quite high. Bonded labour is also a common phenomenon in the area. In every hatti (mine), at least 15-20 children have been employed. Most of the children belong to the communities like Golla, Vaddar and Bovi. Children are involved in cattle rearing, laying of underground cable with their families and quarrying. Migration also is common phenomenon as Bangalore is in a distance of one hour journey. Obviously, number of drop out children is also quite high in the area. However, such children never come to children. Though Ms Hemavati, member of CWC works in the area, no children have been directed to CWC so far.








KOLAR
Kolar district has been divided into two police districts such as Kolar and KGF. Therefore, there are two SPs. CWC is not aware of the status of CWOs in police stations. There are five sub urban railway stations in KGF. The district is having the highest number of NGOs. There is one BCH at KGF which operates from its own building where CWC conducts its sitting. GCH was shifted to Bangalore and thereafter GCH has not been established in the district. Mr Padmanabhan who is the Superintendent of BCH assists the CWC. There are no fit institutions in the district. CWC has not identified any fit person so far. There is no counselor to assist CWC. Chairperson dictates the proceedings and P.O. records it.
Sittings are held on Monday and Thursday. CWC has got a spacious court hall. Abandoned babies and run away children are produced before CWC in large number. The number of cases related to child labour, trafficked children or abused children is less. All abandoned babies are sent to Shishu Gruh, Bangalore with order of CWC. However, the children are not declared legally free for adoption by Kolar CWC. It is done by the CWC Bangalore.
MEMBERS
There are only three members actively participating in the CWC.
Ms Sugunamma, B Sc., B.Ed., who is the chairperson, has worked in a high school for two years. 47 year old Sugunamma is a law graduate too. She serves in CWC for the second term. She is regular to sittings.
Mr Nanjundappa, M.A., B.Ed, is a retired Inspector of Schools from the DoE, Mulbagal. He serves the CWC for the first term. He is regular to sittings.
Mr A J Sudhakar is a post graduate in Social Work and a law graduate. 45 year old Sudhakar has been associated with a NGO working on education at Bagepally. He serves CWC for the second term.
Ms Meher Sultan, B.A., B.Ed, runs an educational institution in Kolar. 45 year old Sultan is irregular to sittings. She has been busy with her activities in the institution.
Mr Venkataraman who is a lecturer in a private college resigned immediately after his appointment. He cited the reason that the honorarium fixed by the government was not suitable for him.
Name Age Qualification Number of term Position Status
Sugunamma 47 MA, B.Ed Second Chairperson Regular
Nanjundappa 65 MA, B.Ed Second Member Regular
A J Sudhakar 45 MSW Second Member Frequent
Meher Sultan 45 B A, B Ed Second Member Irregular
Venkataraman 40 M A First Member Resigned

BEST CASES HANDLED
I. Police took custody of 12-year old R of Bethamangala while he was begging as per police version. Police kept him in police station for 30 hours. He was beaten up during the custody in police station. Later he was brought to BCH the next day, Sunday. Police said that he had an accident and therefore he was laming. At GCH, child’s body was checked and found that there were injuries and marks all over his body. Police said that he was beaten by the public.
CWC heard the case on Monday and eventually brought the case into the notice of Human Rights Commission through SICHREM, a NGO based in Bangalore. Since the child had fits, he was shifted to NIMHANS, Bangalore. His relatives were traced and summoned and thereafter the parents were called. His parents were illiterate and the child was never enrolled to school.
Chairperson attended the sittings of SHRC at Bangalore three times. SHRC issued an order to the accused Sub Inspector and Police Constable to pay Rs.25000 to the child out of their pocket. Police department has sought explanation from the erring officials. The amount was ordered to be paid within a week. CWC is doing a follow up.
II. Unable to bear the harassment at home, 17 year old S of Sidlaghata left for Bangalore to reach her relatives. At home, her mother was insisting her to get into prostitution which was her occupation. Her elder sister also was lured into the same job. But S refused to oblige and resisted her mother’s continuous attempts. On the way at Bangalore, she met a lady and told her about her story and whereabouts. She took her to a brothel in Mumbai and collected all her ornaments. Later she told her to wait for sometime and disappeared with commission. S could not make out that it was a place of flesh trade. It was really a hell for S as she had to receive 15 persons a day.
She was taken to hospital for stomach ache. Using the occasion, she called up an acquaintance and asked him to come to the hospital. He was the first person who abused her sexually earlier with the consent of her mother at home. She somehow escaped from there with his help and rejoined with her mother at Sidlaghata. However, her tale of woes did not end there. Mother managed to get a person for the night when she came from Mumbai. She was badly tortured by him. Somehow she escaped with injuries from home and reached hospital. Police came to hospital and booked a case against the mother and arrested her. S was sent to CWC. She wanted to study and live differently. She never wanted to be like her mother. She was immediately tested for HIV. It was found that she was negative and later, CWC transferred her to Bangalore CWC. Now she is in Janodaya where she has taken up tailoring course.
III. Head master of a high school in Mulbagal taluk had beaten up a ten year old student with a stick in school for disobedience, in front of other children. His body had 30 marks of beatings. The child could not reveal the incident with his parents as he was scared. In the night, parents noticed bed wet. Next morning, he shared the story with his illiterate and poor parents. Enraged and disappointed, the parents approached the nearest police station at Nangali to file the complaint. However, police did not register the case. His villagers also wanted to close the case.
Case was presented before CWC. Head master was summoned and asked about the incident. In the school, children were asked to sit on the floor. Master keeps his slippers on his seat during the class hours. It forced the child to stand always in the class room. CWC referred the case to State Commission for Child Rights Protection. Commission has issued a notice to police why FIR was not made on the complaint.
Now the child has lost his memory power. For its treatment, at least Rs.7000 is required. However, parents could not afford such a big amount. Justice is awaited.
PRACTICES OF CWC
Best practices
 Quorum is ensured in each sitting.
 Summoned employer or abuser in the cases of violation of rights of child.
 Sittings are regularly conducted on the scheduled days.
Wrong practices
 CWC does not sit in a line.
 Though there is a large number of NGOs in the district, CWC does not have the list of such NGOs.
 CWC does not have the list of CWOs of the police stations in the district. It has not used the services of CWOs.
 CWC has not made efforts to declare fit persons. But the functionaries are prejudiced that such persons always expect money from department.
 No follow up is made after abandoned babies are sent to Bangalore Shishu Gruh. Those children who were sent to Bangalore were not declared legally free for adoption.


COOPERATION WITH DEPT
Good examples
 BCH staffs are very supportive to CWC.
 CWC chairperson and a member attended the monthly meeting of CDPOs at DD office, Kolar and spoke about child rights and JJA.
Bad examples
 CWC requested DD to provide a list of NGOs in the district. However, DD never responded in favor.
 Honorarium for CWC functionaries has not been paid for the last one year.
 Though request was made to DD for a counselor, it was not honored.
 DD office earlier insisted to conduct sitting only once in a month. Now, it insists to conduct sitting twice in a week. All such communications are oral only.
 Department intervention in CWC work is quite high.
 In a rape case of a girl child, CWC asked the concerned CDPO to issue the compensation of Rs.10000 immediately. Even after a year, the amount was not released from the DD office.





CHITRADURGA
There are six taluks in the district. It has only a junior BCH for children in the age group of 6-12 years. Girls and senior boys are transferred to Davanagere. The junior BCH operates from a rented building. Construction of a new building is going on near Science College in stadium area. Sitting is conducted in Junior BCH once in 15 days, namely first and third Saturday between 2.00 and 5.00 pm. One or two cases are produced before it during the sitting. CWC also conducts sitting on emergencies.
Abandoned babies, children of single parents and transferred children are produced before CWC by parents, police, Santwana project of Venkateshwara Education Society and hospital. Mr A M Astheer is the P.O. who has been given charge of Superintendent. House mother assists CWC in recording proceedings.
MEMBERS
All the members are college teachers and hail from two colleges of the town namely SJM College and MFG College. Old members hardly attend CWC sittings.
Dr Nataraj, who has M.A., Ph.D., in criminology, is the chairperson. 50 year old Nataraj has experience of teaching for 23 years. His specialization is JJ Act. He conducts study on institutions of girl children every year through his students of Criminology. He has served CWC for the first term. He has been a member of JJB, Shimoga too.
Ms Sumana S.Angadi, a post graduate in law teaches law in SJM College for the past 12 years. 36 year old Sumana serves CWC for the first term. She too conducts research on JJA through her students. She is regular to sittings.
Mr C. Kukendra Nayak who is a post graduate in psychology has been working as a lecturer in psychology in MFG College, Chitradurga. 50 year old Nayak serves CWC in the second term.
Ms. N. Nagaratnamma who is a post graduate in sociology serves CWC in the second term. 55 year old Nagaratnamma is a lecturer in sociology in MFG College, Chitradurga.
Prof. S B Shivakumar works in SJM College, Chittradurga as lecturer in sociology. 45 year old Shivakumar is NSS officer and chalks out programs for students regularly. He serves CWC for the first term.
Name Age Qualification Number of term Position Status
Dr Nataraj 50 M A, PhD First Chairperson Regular
Sumana S Angadi 36 LLM First Member Regular
Kukendra Nayak 50 M Sc Second Member Frequent
Nagaratnamma 55 M A Second Member Resigned
Prof. S B Shivakumar 45 M A First Member Frequent

BEST CASES HANDLED
I. Three-month old girl baby was abandoned by mother from Holalkere. She left the child after taking the bus charge. Since she does not have capacity to look after the child, she wanted to relinquish it. One Parvathamma, a middle aged woman, took the custody of the child. She had grown-up children, but no girl children. Parvathamma took the baby to CDPO to register under Bhagyalakshmi scheme. After enquiry, CDPO confirmed that the child did not belong to her. He referred it to the police and CWC. Child was immediately sent to hospital. Thereafter, CWC put up an advertisement in newspaper to trace the biological parents. Parvathamma sat in the hospital to get back the child. CWC later transferred the child to Shishu Gruh, Bangalore followed by related report.
II. 12 year old orphan Raghu was living with his Doddamma at Kalkeri in Hosadurga taluk. He was studying in 5th standard. He used to run away from home. When he was produced before CWC for the first time, he was released to his foster parent. He ran away again and later rescued in Bangalore by Childline. Raghu was sent to Chitradurga by CWC Bangalore. Foster parents were summoned by CWC. Doddappa refused to accept the child as he was habituated by running away. Child was counseled and it was found that child was repeatedly beaten by his cousin. Now the child is in BCH. Action was not taken against cousin.
III. PVS Educational institution of Chitradurga had made an application to DWCD for fit institution. It was referred to CWC. Its president is Dr P V Narasimhamurthy who is a practicing doctor. He runs a nursing home and educational institution. Now he planned to run an adoption centre-cum-children’s home. The proposed address of the fit institution was his own house which was rented out to CWC chairperson. CWC issued a letter to him for clarification about the proposed address. One representative from his Society appeared before CWC and could not give proper explanation. Later, finding it difficult, Dr Narasimhamurthy never pursued for recognition.
IV. Eight-year old Sushmita of Thiruvanoor in Chitradurga taluk was brought before CWC by her parents. She is mentally retarded and was studying in first standard. Child was referred to the psychiatrist of district hospital and it was found that she had 75% retardation. Her parents have four girl children and are unable to bring her up. Sushmita was sent to Home for MR Girls at Hubli along with the certificate. Later the child was release to the parents by CWC, Dharwad. A letter was sent by CWC to Chitradurga about the restoration.
PRACTICES OF CWC
Best practices
 Abandoned babies are transferred to Bangalore with FIR, escort, ambulance and newspaper advertisement.
Wrong practices
 CWC does not sit in a line.
 All decisions taken in CWC are in consensus.
 CWC has not declared children legally free for adoption, though children were sent to Shishu Gruh, Bangalore.
 CWC functionaries have never visited any institutions running residential centres for children.
 Superintendent of Home does not put up the file for orders of CWC.
COOPERATION WITH DEPT
Good examples
 SW attends every sitting of CWC usually. DD has attended only once.
 When an infant was found near hospital, DD took CWC functionaries in his jeep and visited the spot to rescue the child.
 Vehicle is provided to CWC to visit any meeting or workshop on JJA.
 Chairperson complained to state office about the quality of construction of BCH. A letter was written from state office to DC to look into the matter.
 All members have been issued identity cards.
Bad examples
 Counselor for CWC has not been appointed even after advertisement was placed in newspapers.
OTHER INFORMATION
Muruga Rajendra Mutt has been running orphanage for several years. CWC had recommended it for the adoption centre. Recognition as adoption centre has now been given to the Mutt. Recently, the Mutt sent two girl children to its Sirsi branch from where they escaped to Hubli. They were abused by drivers in Hubli and later admitted to GCH. One of the children was released to parents from Dharwad CWC. Other child is in GCH only. However, Chitradurga CWC does not have any information about it.



SHIMOGA
Shimoga has 7 taluks out of which 4 are economically sound. More cases of children come from Bhadravati and Shimoga taluks. Sitting is held on Monday and Thursday between 11.00 am and 1.00 pm in the superintendent’s chamber in BCH which is in the outskirts of Shimoga. BCH is part of DWCD building complex where offices of DD, OH, JJB, P.O. under P.O.Act and Women’s Development Corporation are located.
The quarters in the campus are in a dilapidated situation. Hence Superintendent Jayanna of BCH lives outside the campus. CWC is assisted by one counselor and two POs.
Neglected children, children of single parents, orphans, children of prisoners, abandoned babies and those who have done theft are produced before CWC in general. Most of the children belong to northern districts of the state. Children are brought by police, parents and public. Girl children are transferred to Udupi. Most of male children belonged to Muslim community.
MEMBERS
There are five members in the committee. Except one member, all others are retired school teachers and have crossed over 65 years. CWC Shimoga can be compared with a High School staff room.
Mr Ishwarappa, B.A., B.Ed., B.P.Ed., who is a retired head master from an aided high school at Tharalabalu, is the chairperson for the second term in CWC. Hailing from Shimoga, he is recipient of state award in 1992 and national award in 1999. He is regular to CWC.
Mr Umesh Aradhya is a post graduate in counseling and psychology. He worked as a student counselor for five years. He served as All India treasurer of FPAI for the past 4 years. He looks after Asha Kirana, a residential school for mentally challenged children in the range of 30-35% IQ, run by Rotary. He has been member of Balbhavan for the past 10 years. Hailing from Shimoga town, he serves CWC for the first term.
Mr Syed Ahmed, B.A., B.Ed., is a retired high school teacher in Kannada. He is a recipient of state award in 1999. Writing in Kannada and social work are his major activities. He is a member of Kannada Sahitya Parishat and Karnataka Sangha. 65 year old Ahmed serves CWC for the second term.
65 year old Bharati Chandrasekhar is a post graduate in Kannada literature. She has been involved in improving the skills of children in slums since 1992. Various programs for children in Balamandira and disabled children have been organized. She has extended support to 3 children’s education directly. She writes for local papers. Hailing from Shimoga, she serves CWC for the first term.
Mr K Lakshman Rao, M.A., B.Ed., is a retired high school head master. 65 year old Rao hails from Bhadravati. He is former president of Sahitya Parishat, Shimoga and has earned Best Teacher award in 1998. He has authored five books on topics like Kuvempu, language and medium and Dr Rajkumar. He is a resource person on education for high schools and institutions.
Name Age Qualification Number of term Position Status
Iswarappa 67 B.A., B.Ed., B.P.Ed. Second Chairperson Regular
Umesh Aradhya 50 M A First Member Regular
Syed Ahmed 67 B A, B Ed Second Member Regular
Bharati Chandrasekhar 65 M A Second Member Regular
K Lakshman Rao 67 M A, B Ed Second Member Regular

BEST CASES HANDLED
I. A Muslim youth married a Lambani girl after a love relationship. She was below 18 years and illiterate. He had married earlier and has two children. The girl said that Muslim could marry four times. Her father filed a complaint against him for kidnap and rape. Boy was arrested by police. When the girl was produced, CWC verified her election card wherein her age was 18 years and ration card wherein it was 17 years. In order to ascertain her age, CWC sought a certificate from medical doctor. It was found that she was 17.5 years and later she was immediately transferred to GCH, Hubli with escort. However, the Superintendent of Hubli rejected her admission. Then CWC contacted Joint Director, Bangalore and superintendent was warned. She paid the traveling expenses as she had sent them back. Later the girl was sent to Davanagere GCH.
CWC took decision in four days of time in this case. It helped avoid communal tension in the village. No follow up in the case was undertaken by CWC so far.
II. A police constable, Hanumantha who had taken VRS had kept five children in his house to steal mobile sets. Their parents were paid by him. He tortured the children frequently. At Bhadravati, one of the children, V was caught by police and produced before CWC. V was sold to Hanumantha for Rs.15000. His father appeared to release the child. CWC insisted for the presence of Hanumantha. He lives in Hanumanthanagar of Bhadravati town which is inhabited by Muslims in large number. It is reported that women chase away police who goes there to investigate any theft. Bovi colony of Bhadravati town also is infamous for theft. The community members have learned it as a skill. Bovi belongs to SC.
V was admitted to BCH and was attending school regularly. Mother appeared twice and wanted his release. However, CWC insisted for the presence of both parents and the trafficker, Hanumantha who was absconding. Later he was arrested and released on bail. When both parents appeared to release the child, he wanted to with them. CWC ordered for a P.O. report based on which the child was released. Now he goes to school from his home.
III. A couple from Bhadravati saw a girl child of 18 months old wandering in the railway station, Mysore. They took it in good faith and brought it home at Bhadravati. Some neigbhours advised the couple to give the child to police as keeping the child would be illegal. Police produced the child before CWC. The couple appeared and claimed the child. CWC summoned the local anganwadi worker to verify the delivery of the child. Later, another woman belonged to nomadic tribe appeared and claimed the child. She came with a photograph of the child and clothes as evidence. She claimed that she had delivered the child at their nomadic camp at Bhadravati. Superintendent took her to DD as CWC was not in sitting. DD asked her to approach CWC, Mysore for release of the child. Later, CWC verified the P.O. report and Anganwadi Worker’s report and found that the child belonged to Mysore. Thereafter child was transferred to Mysore CWC in April 2009. No follow up report was sought from Mysore since then.
IV. 14-year old N was habituated with running away from his home at Hosadurga of Chitradurga district. He had completed SSLC, but failed. This time when ran away, he took Rs.850 and mother’s ornaments along with him. He reached Bangalore and worked in some places including a bar during one year. He was rescued by police at Ajjampura, Chikamaglur district and produced before CWC, Shimoga. N was counseled and parents were identified in Chitradurga. Parents who are wage labourers were summoned. He is their only child and they were fed up of his behaviour. Child was later transferred to Chitradurga for releasing to parents and proper follow up.
V. D was studying in 6th standard, but irregular to school. His father who is a hospital guard has two wives. D is the son of first wife but lives with second wife. First wife lives in Chitradurga. Second wife was reported to be a habitual thief who motivates D for frequent theft. Father was unable to manage the child. His Chikkappa (father’s brother) who is well off has attachment with the child. He lives near CWC chairperson’s house. In October 2008, at the day break, Mr Iswarappa heard some sound on the terrace of his house. He went up and found D who was attempting to take away iron rods from home.
Mr Iswarappa immediately informed the police who took him to police station. Later police warned the parents and released the child with them. However, Mr Ishwarappa insisted that the child should be produced before CWC. Later D and his parents were produced and he was admitted to reception unit. D wanted to go home with his parents. On the wish of the child, he was released after two weeks.
D was brought to CWC again after two months for breaking keys with other four children. D was sent to Fit Institution as he needed special counseling services. However, he escaped from there after three days. His whereabouts are not known so far.
PRACTICES OF CWC
Best practices
 All decisions are taken in consensus.
 CWC has recommended two institutions such as Madhava Nele, run by RSS and Basava Nele, an orphanage.
 CWC conducted training programs for officials at the taluk level.
 Orders of CWC are signed by all functionaries with a seal.
 In the absence of chairperson, other members conduct sitting and someone is selected to chair the meeting. In serious cases, chairperson’s ratification is taken.
Wrong practices
 CWC does not sit in a line.
 CWC conducts sittings in Superintendent’s chamber. Chairperson sits on the Superintendent’s chair while CWC is in sitting.
 Chairperson is now a member of Udupi CWC. Another member has accepted to be a member in Udupi CWC.
 CWC has never sought follow up reports of children transferred by it to other districts, including the abandoned babies who were sent to either Hassan or Bangalore.
 None other than members or staffs allowed to sit during the sitting of CWC. Ms Rajani Pai, JJB member was not allowed to sit inside CWC hall. Even this consultant also was not allowed inside during the business hours.
 CWC has not identified any fit person and it has not given children in foster care.
 Summons has never been issued.
 Representatives of Fit Institutions do not attend CWC regularly.
COOPERATION WITH DEPT
Good examples
 Common programs were conducted by DWCD and CWC.
 CWC functionaries are resource persons in some training programs organized by DWCD.
 CWC functionaries have been given additional responsibility of Udupi CWC by the state office. CWC, Shimoga has believed that it was good precedence and a token of good cooperation.
Bad examples
 CWC has not yet been provided a spacious court hall with counseling room and waiting room for aggrieved parties.
OTHER INFORMATION
Though child labour and child marriage are common in the district, such cases are never produced before CWC. There are various NGOs working in the district on child related issues. However, CWC does not have information about them. Effort has not been made to collect their list or ensure their participation in effective rehabilitation of children.



UTTARA KANNADA
Uttara Kannada district is known for its bio diversity like forests, hill tracks, sea, rivers and fish. Various languages are spoken in the district such as Konkani, Mixed Marathi (Gowli), Urdu and Tibetan other than Kannada.
GCH operates from Sirsi and GCH from Karwar. Both function in their own building. Sittings are held in GCH, Karwar once in 15 days. Sitting is conducted between 11.00 am and 2.00 pm. CWC meets in emergencies too. Rs. 100 is paid to each member per sitting. Last payment was made in February 2009.
Superintendent of BCH assists CWC in writing proceedings. Both Superintendents and case worker of BCH attend the sitting. Counselor has not been appointed. Staffs for OH are in place but OH has not yet set up. Now, children in conflict with law are sent to Mangalore JJB. Though JJB has been sanctioned to Karwar, nothing has happened so far.
Children are produced by NGOs, CDPOs and Anganwadi workers in general. Sometimes children themselves come to CWC for protection.
MEMBERS
Though there are five members in the panel, three members attend CWC, that too frequently. Three members live in distant places. Quorum is a challenge always in the committee.
Dr Shaila Borker who is the chairperson is a Ph.D holder in education. She was a teacher in a B.Ed college in Karwar. Now she is the principal of her own institution, Saraswati Vidyalaya at Karwar. She is not fluent in Kannada and therefore, speaks in Konkani or English. She has hardly attends training programs on child rights or JJA. She serves the CWC for the second term.
Mr Manjappa works for a child based NGO at Honnavara. 40 year old Manjappa, though concerned about children’s issues, is not able to make it to CWC regularly.
Mr K N Shenavi is a retired school teacher hailing from Ankola. Serving in the second term, 62 year old Shenavi is regular to CWC sittings.
Ms Lourna Vegas is a known social worker in Karwar. 50 year old Vegas is an active member of Karuna Samsthe. She has been suffering from health problems for the past one year. She is unable to walk and therefore, cannot attend sittings.
Ms Mala Giridhar is a psychiatrist and has been pursuing her Ph.D. Hailing from Sirsi, 35 year old Mala runs her husband’s clinic at Sirsi. She also has taken up various projects and busy with them. She has not given priority to CWC and become an absentee for a long time in CWC.
Name Age Qualification Number of term Position Status
Dr Shaila Borker 65 Ph D Second Chairperson Regular
Manjappa 40 M A First Member Irregular
K N Shenavi 62 B A, B Ed Second Member Regular
Lourna Vegas 50 First Member irregular
Mala Giridhar 35 M Sc First Member Absentee

BEST CASES HANDLED
I. 2.5 month old child was rescued by police from Chendia and brought to BCH through CDPO. The child was given treatment for two days for recovery of health. Father came to know about the child’s admission and appeared before CWC. Child’s mother is mentally ill and was unable to look after the child. He works in Kaiga nuclear project. Mother in law also had come to CWC. CWC ordered to execute a bond of Rs.25000 and produce the child every month before CWC. Child was released on supervision of P.O. for the next three years.
II. Four year old girl child, who was mentally and physically challenged, was thrown to railway track by her mother. She was unable to look after her child. The child was found in the railway track by public and police and thereafter, admitted to GCH. After preliminary treatment, she was transferred to Home for MRG at Hubli with CWC order. However, the child was rejected by HMRG and later CWC transferred it to NIMHANS for better treatment.
III. After living in GCH for a long 6 years, her parents were traced by CWC. Ashwini never thought she would meet them and rejoin the family. CWC had issued an order to Sub Inspector of Police to trace parents who were in Siddapura. Police located and produced them before CWC. They were poor and working as wage labour for a living. Ashwini had passed her SSLC and tailoring course by this time. She could not recognize her parents. They too. Hence, she refused to go with them. Parents had never come for the past six years and the child has forgotten them. After repeated counseling with her and parents separately, she rejoined the family. She has now been working in a factory in Shimoga.
IV. Rashmi (name changed) was habituated with stealing small things since her school days. Once she stole Rs.30000 from a wedding house and was caught. FIR was filed against her. She was sent to OH, Shimoga. Her father is a peon in ZP. He was desperate about his daughter’s behaviour. She stayed in OH for six months. On the request of her father, CWC wrote to JJB to get her back for rehabilitation in GCH. She was transferred to GCH, Karwar. It was a turning point in her life. She was continuously counseled and made to understand the problems. Thereafter, she successfully finished her PUC and learnt music and dance. She conducted classes on singing and dance for the children of GCH. Her father visited her and became very happy.
PRACTICES OF CWC
Best practices
 CWC meets in emergencies.
 CWC has used the services of police in tracing parents.
 CWC has established good rapport with DD office.
 It has ensured review of meals’ quality for children every day by the DD office.
Wrong practices
 Quorum is hardly maintained.
 Chairperson takes decisions unilaterally and doesn’t take consensus of other members.
 Orders are written by Superintendent of BCH and signed by chairperson. Other members do not sign on orders.
 Sitting is conducted in Superintendent’s chamber. Chairperson sits on her seat during the sitting hours of CWC.

COOPERATION WITH DEPT
Good examples
 Some representative attends sitting of CWC regularly.
 Faster response from DD office on CWC’s letters or queries.
Bad examples
 Counselor has not been appointed as MSW holders were not available.
 Separate court hall, waiting room or counseling room has not been provided.
OTHER INFORMATION
NGOs like Karuna Samsthe run by Ms Margaret Alva, former Union Minister, Navajyothi, Sparsha and Balavikasa Seva Samithi come to GCH and extend their services in counseling, story telling, health education etc.
 Child labour, child abuse, trafficking of children, bonded labour are quite high in the backward areas of Mundagodu taluk. However, cases of such violations never come to CWC.


UDUPI
Udupi has three taluks namely Karkala, Kundapura and Udupi. Sittings were conducted on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at GCH, Udupi. It was assisted by a computer operator and P.O. GCH functions in a leased building. The newly constituted committee conducts sitting only on Wednesday. There are three fit institutions in the district namely Spoorthy, Namma Bhoomi and High Tech. Other institutions are functioning in the district without getting recognition of government or CWC.
Udupi CWC was constituted with five members with Ms Suvarnalatha as chairperson. However, she resigned immediately after appointment. Her resignation was accepted after 8 months. In April 2008, Dr Gowri also resigned. In CWC, Ms Pramila Vaz, Mr Rajesh and Mr Patrick Furtado remained. Mr Patrick was unable to come regularly from Honnavar in Uttara Kannada district. Eventually, Ms Pramila and Mr Rajesh conducted the sittings. Then, Ms Amrutha Kala, an advocate was appointed as chairperson. Soon after CWC got into rough weather with Meghalaya issue, Ms Pramila and Mr Rajesh were terminated from the panel by the department. Thereafter, CWC has been reconstituted with two functionaries of Shimoga CWC.
Since Dakshina Kannada CWC was terminated by the government, all the cases are now presented before CWC Udupi.
EARLIER MEMBERS
Ms Suvarnalatha, a post graduate in Social Work was the chairperson. She represented a NGO. 35 year old Suvarnalatha resigned from the position soon after her appointment.
Dr H Gowri is a known child specialist in Udupi. She used to go to surgery in the middle of sitting. She adopted a soft approach and was not in favor of strict implementation of law.
Mr Patrick Furtado was working with Mukta Trust in Honnavara. A post graduate in Social Work, Furtado found it difficult to attend CWC regularly from Honnavara to Udupi. He could attend only three sittings. Thereafter he never turned up.
Ms Pramila Vaz is a post graduate in Social Work and has been involved in social activities. She is a resource person on JJA and child rights for school teachers and SDMCs. She had good contacts with various NGOs.
Mr Rajesh is an advocate practicing in Udupi. 28 year old Rajesh is a resource person on child rights. He was short tempered and wanted everything within the framework of law.
CURRENT MEMBERS
There are only three members in the Committee. Chairperson hails from Udupi while other two come from Shimoga.
Ms Amruthakala, an advocate of Udupi was appointed as the new chairperson when Ms Pramila and Mr Rajesh were members. She was in the district committee on domestic violence and associated with DWCD. Her knowledge on child rights and JJA is poor. Earlier, she attended the sitting at the end of it to sign the documents.
Mr Ishwarappa, chairperson of Shimoga CWC has been appointed as a member. It is an additional responsibility for him. He travels from Shimoga to Udupi to attend the sittings.
Mr Umesh Aradhya who serves CWC Shimoga as member has been additionally given responsibility to be a member in Udupi. He travels from Shimoga to Udupi to attend the sittings.
Name Age Qualification Number of term Position Status
Amrutha Kala 45 LLB First Chairperson Regular
Ishwarappa 67 M A, B.Ed, B.P.Ed First Member
(Additional responsibility) Regular (from Shimoga)
Umesh Aradhya 50 M A First Member (Addl responsibility) Regular
(From Shimoga)


BEST CASES HANDLED
I. 16-year old Pavithra Nayak was doing her SSLC at Hiriyadka in Udupi district. However, she found it very difficult without electricity for preparing for her examinations. She wrote a letter to CWC. As a result, CWC took cognizance of it and issued notice to MESCOM with a copy to BESCOM, Bangalore for immediate connection to the child’s home. BESCOM obliged it and permitted to provide connection. Within three months, Pavithra’s house was electrified.
II. 58 year old head master of Kuttur School in Karkala taluk used to sexually abuse children of HPS. It was the time when CWC members participated in a training program for adolescents. Safe and unsafe touch and the consequences of sexual abuse were explained in the training program. As a result, children wrote letters to CWC about the regular sexual harassment of head master. Taking cognizance of it, CWC issued notice to DDPI to conduct an inquiry. Headmaster was suspended after enquiry.
III. CWC received a complaint from CACL-K about a child working in court canteen at Kundapura. CWC issued order to DoL to produce the child. Thereafter, a team of CDPO, BEO, Labour Officer and CACL-K visited Kundapura and rescued the child who was below 14 years. He was a school drop out belonging to Kuruba community. Since he didn’t like school, a journalist brought him and joined in the canteen. His father who is wage labour in Haveri had taken money from the canteen owner.
IV. A Brahmin couple has two children of 11 years and 13 years. They were not sent to school for the simple reason that they should not get mingled up with other children of various castes. Couple was teaching children at home. Coming to know about it, CWC issued order to police to produce the children before CWC. After production of children, SSA conducted an eligibility test for both children in order to admit them in school. Thereafter, the elder child was admitted to 6th standard and the younger one to 4th standard. Father filed a petition in the court against CWC order. Later, CWC gave the details of the matter.
V. After receiving a letter from SSA with regard to 17 children who had come from Meghalaya were suspected to be trafficked, CWC visited Tengabettu aided primary school where children were placed. All of them are girls below 10 years who were made to sleep in a single room. They were brought by RSS from Meghalaya to Kolkata initially and then to Bangalore and Udupi. Children were Christians and tribals. All of them had forgotten their mother tongue and learnt Kannada. They wanted to go home in Meghalaya. One Sukumar Shetty and his wife were teaching Mantras for the children. CWC informed DC about the matter. DC scolded DD of DWCD for not informing about the children. Though discussed with District Judge, he was not very clear about JJA. Tehelka Weekly published about the trafficking of children from Meghalaya. One official of Social Welfare Department, Meghalaya visited and held meeting in DC office. But thereafter, there was no action followed.
CWC issued an order to Sub Inspector of Brahmavara to rescue the children and produce before CWC. When SI went to the spot, Mr Raghupathi Bhat along with 100 supporters was present there. They did not allow police to take children. MLA called up CWC chairperson and threatened of dire consequences and termination. CACL filed a complaint with SHRC. Justice Nayak, chairperson of SHRC convened all parties and discussed. But no action followed. CWC members received threatening calls regularly.
Children were later placed in Ashakirana project school of SSA.
PRACTICES OF CWC
Best practices
 CWC conducted three sittings in a week earlier.
 Half an hour of every sitting was devoted to listen and review problems of children of GCH, by the earlier committee.
 CWC conducted one-day workshop for all police officials on JJA at SP office in August 2007.
 CWC used to visit Fit Institutions once in three months.
 Strict vigilance and action on child rights violation by earlier CWC.
Wrong practices
 Quorum was not maintained as only two members attended regularly.
 Only one sitting in a week by the newly constituted Committee.
 Newly constituted committee has reversed the best practices set by earlier committee.
COOPERATION WITH DEPT
Good examples
 A workshop on JJA for all NGOs working with children was organized by Dept and CWC on 30th June 2009. DD, P.O.s, CDPOs, supervisors, all staffs of Children’s Home were present. District Judge inaugurated the workshop.
 District Women and Child Development Officer Mr Sundar Pujari used to attend CWC sittings. After his transfer, none attended.
Bad examples
 Though CWC has written letters to CWC, there was no reply from DD. CWC wanted to organize a staff meeting of GCH and had written to DD. Reply came after 8 months saying that the meeting could be organized without harming their regular work.
 Dept has never given vehicular support to CWC to visit institutions in the district.
 Staff is not available for escort of children during their transfer. (Akshata, 18 months old girl was ordered to shift to NIMHANS for treatment. Since there was none to escort the child, she was in district hospital for 8 months.)


OTHER INFORMATION
High Tech Medicare and Research Centre is now a Fit Institution and adoption centre in the district. It is owned by Dr Umesh Prabhu. When the earlier Committee visited this institution, it was found that rules were not followed properly. The agency made complaint of trespass by CWC on its affairs. The agency had not maintained proper records of children. There is another orphanage named ‘Krishnanugraha Anathalaya’in Udupi, run under the blessings of Mutt. Discrepancies were reported from there too.












BANGALORE URBAN - I
CWC conducts its sittings at the upstairs of BCH, Bangalore. It conducts sittings twice in a week namely Monday and Thursday. It has a court hall and a veranda where aggrieved parents and children could wait for their turn. Bangalore Urban II CWC also conducts its sittings in the same court hall. Both CWCs are assisted by the same staffs. One lady official has been deputed exclusively for CWC assistance.
CWC deals with boys below 18 years from three districts namely Bangalore Urban, Ramnagaram and Bangalore Rural.
EARLIER MEMBERS
Mr Vasudeva Sharma, a post graduate in Social Work was the chairperson. In the first term, he was a member of CWC. He represented Child Rights Trust, a NGO. Worked in CRY in a managerial position for a long time, he initiated CRT. He is known as a trainer and consultant on child rights. 45 year old Sharma resigned from the position soon after his appointment in Karnataka Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KCPCR).
Ms M.U.Umadevi is regular to CWC sittings. Retired as a headmistress of a private school, she served CWC for the first term.
Mr P.S.Basavaraju is a post graduate in Social Work and has been working as SJPU Coordinator in BOSCO, Bangalore. Serving for the first term, he is regular to sittings. He works extra hours in his organization as he spends his time in CWC twice in a week.
Mr Rahim is a post graduate in Social Sciences and has been working with SATHI as its financial officer. 36 year old Rahim is not able to find time to make it to CWC regularly.
Ms Meera Madhava is a graduate in Science and a post graduate diploma holder in child rights and law. 54 year old Meera has been working as a professional counselor and special educator for more than 15 years. She has been associated with Viveka, a NPO. She used to go to OH, Bangalore to help in counseling of children for about 4 years. She is regular to sittings.

CURRENT MEMBERS
There are only three members in the Committee. Chairperson hails from Udupi while other two come from Shimoga.
Ms Anita Shivakumar is a faculty member in NIPCCD, Bangalore and former chairperson of Bangalore Rural CWC. She has been appointed as chairperson of Banglaore Urban-I after the resignation of Mr Vasudeva Sharma. However, she is irregular to CWC sittings.
Ms Meera Madhava, Mr P S Basavaraju, Ms M U Umadevi and Mr Rahim are other members. Except Mr Rahim, others are regular to CWC.
Name Age Qualification Number of term Position Status
Anita Sivakumar 45 MSW First Chairperson Irregular
M U Umadevi 66 B.Ed First Member Regular
B S Basavaraj 43 MSW First Member Regular
Rahim 36 M A First Member irregular
Meera Madhav 54 BSc, PGCRL First Member Regular

BEST CASES HANDLED
I. 19 children were rescued from beggary by a team of CWC, DWCD and NGOs with the assistance of police. All of them were living with their parents who had come from Ranchi of Jharkhand. All of them were living on Tannery Road, K G Halli police limits. Children were seen in traffic circles and complaints were registered with SHRC. Media had given coverage about begging racket growing in the city. Children were given bread and sent to circles in the city for begging by their parents or relatives. Children were under observation by them. Justice and Care, a NGO had filed a complaint to the Director, DWCD about the growing menace of begging. 4 CWC members including Chairperson Vasudeva Sharma and district officials were present during the rescue operation.
The team conducted the operation in early morning at 4.30 at Govindapura. All of them were sleeping when the unexpected raid was conducted. 19 children including 7 children below 6 years, 4 boys and 8 girls above 6 years were released and 9 parents were arrested under Sec.3 of Beggary (Prohibition and Rehabilitation) Act 1975 and Sec 23 of JJ Act 2000. All the children were taken to BCH and parents were sent to jail. Other relatives regularly came to DD office for release of children. Lawyer appeared for the children’s release. CWC transferred the children to Jharkhand with the escort of police. Children stayed in GCH for about 45 days. Parents were punished with a fine of Rs.500 and simple imprisonment of one month.
II. On the basis of a complaint filed with DC by Justice and Care, a NGO of lawyers in Bangalore, a team of AC, Tahsildar, DWCD and CWC members released 4 children of Tamil Nadu from a sweet stall, K P Agrahara, Magadi road. FIR was filed against the owner under Sec.23 and 26 of JJA, 3&4 of CLPRA and Sec.374 of IPC. One child was 12 year old and others were in the age group of 15-16 years. CWC ordered for a home enquiry of children. Justice and Care conducted a home enquiry and submitted the report to CWC. It also took up the responsibility of follow up. Based on the enquiry report, CWC released the children to their parents. Since the case was in the court, CWC decided to restore them with parents.
III. Five children were brought from Raigarh of Orissa by an agent to Belgaum. He handed them over to one Mr Gandhi who brought them to Bangalore for work. While alighting in the city railway station in an evening, BOSCO staffs saw them and rescued all the children with the help of police. Since CWC was in sitting, all the children were produced before CWC. BOSCO filed a criminal complaint against Gandhi as directed by CWC under 23 & 26 of JJA and Sec.363 (a) of IPC.
Children spoke only tribal language which none could understand. A girl from the Reception Unit knew Oriya and helped understand what children said. In the meantime, Concerned for Working Children, a NGO brought one Mr K P Pandey who was well verse in Oriya. Thereafter, all information was collected from the children. Coming to know about it, Raigharh DC wrote a letter to CWC not to release the children. 3 parents came from Orissa with documents. Police officials also came from Raigarh along with the parents. CWC later transferred the children to Orissa with the escort of police.
IV. 12 year old Swamy was employed and tortured by his distant relative who was none other than a Taluk officer in SC/ST Development Corporation, Ramnagaram. He was working in the house of Ms Sarojamma at J P Nagar, Bangalore. Hailing from Davanagere, Swamy was brought by her to work in her posh bungalow. Some one called up the Helpline number of APSA and informed about the plight of the boy in her house. Immediately after this, the boy was rescued by police. He was produced before CWC and later placed in Nammane of APSA. A case was filed against Ms Sarojamma under Sec.340, 374, 350 and 351 of IPC. CWC ordered to pay Rs.5000 to the boy as wage compensation, she refused to obey. Thereafter, Sarojamma made a complaint against the boy of theft in the same police station. Police has filed a FIR against the boy under Sec.272, 506 and 381 of IPC. CWC transferred the boy to Davanagere since he hailed from there. Thereafter, no follow up of the case was taken up in CWC.
V. 10 year old Basanth of Gaya , Bihar was working in a house of Rajesh Mehta, a chartered accountant, Bangalore. His job was taking care of a sibling in the house. Mr Vasudeva Sharma had got information about the child and informed MSV for rescue. In turn, JC Nagar police rescued the child and produced before CWC. Later, the child was placed in BCH. Parents and employer were summoned to CWC. Employer immediately understood and agreed with their mistakes committed. They were ready to pay compensation for the child. CWC suggested to pay Rs.20000 to the child. Employer bought two NSCs of Rs.10000 each. Boy was ordered to transfer to Bihar. However, before he was transferred, his parents appeared before CWC. Hence, CWC cancelled the order of transfer and released the child to his parents.
PRACTICES OF CWC
Best practices
 CWC functionaries sit in a line.
 Quorum is maintained and decisions are taken in consensus.
 CWC has ensured good NGO participation in CWC functioning.
Wrong practices
 CWC conducts sittings only twice in a week against the mandatory number of sittings which is three.
COOPERATION WITH DEPT
Good examples
 DD comes to CWC whenever problems occur.
 CRT conducts programs once in three months in BCH campus wherein all the district officials attend.
 Ganapathi festival also is celebrated every year wherein all the officials extend their support and cooperation.
 Whenever a training program is organized, all officials attend such programs.
Bad examples
 DWCD has not taken any step to solve the shortage of staffs in BCH. After retirement of vocational training staff, none has been appointed.
OTHER INFORMATION
Makkala Jagruthi and Arivu, NGOs based in Bangalore have been given rooms in BCH to assist children in developing life skills. 4 social workers from each NGO come to BCH and stay from 10.00 am to 5.00 pm throughout the week. They engage children in various activities like puzzle solving, toys making, drawing, Karate learning, remedial teaching etc. Computer also has been provided for the children.
BANGALORE URBAN - II
CWC of Bangalore Urban-I deals with girl children below 18 years. All the adoption cases also are dealt with by the same CWC. It meets on Tuesday and Friday on the upstairs of BCH, Bangalore. CWC has been assisted by P.O.s and a clerk. BCH situates in a sprawling campus of DWCD near NIMHANS. GCH, Shishu Gruh, After Care Home for Men, Home for Mentally Retarded Women, Crisis Intervention Centre, State Home for Women and DD office are in the same campus.
CWC has a court hall with a veranda where the aggrieved parties are able to sit and wait for their turn. It has a private space within the hall to speak to the children or parents privately. A telephone has been provided to CWC. It has been assisted by a counselor of Paraspara Trust, Bangalore.
There is no counselor for CWC after Ms Vaishali resigned from the post in December 2009. A lady counselor of Paraspara Trust, Bangalore assists CWC during sittings.
The nature of cases that come to CWC is run away children, child labour and children in beggary. Majority of the run away children belongs to teen age group.
EARLIER MEMBERS
Ms Santhosh Vaz was the Chairperson. She represented a NGO. 55 year old Santhosh resigned from the position on 30th October 2009.
Fr Varhese Pallipuram is a post graduate in Social Work and a diploma holder in Child Rights and Law from National Law School, Bangalore. 51 year old Fr Pallipuram was Director of BOSCO, Ajjanahalli when appointed to CWC. He has been serving CWC for the first term. He has worked with deprived children for the past 25 years through BOSCO. He is able to read and speak Kannada but unable to write in Kannada. Therefore, his notings in the files are in English.
Ms Mamatha N M has been working with Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement, Mysore for about 15 years. She was shifted to its Bangalore office in 2007 to look after the education programs in North Karnataka. A post graduate in Sociology, 45 year old Mamatha served in CWC for the first term. She resigned from CWC on 10th July 2009 after her appointment in State Commission for Protection of Child Rights. She was regular to sittings.
Dr Meena Jain resigned from CWC in the end of February 2010.
Mr Balakrishna V Masali, a law graduate from Karnataka University of Dharwad, has practiced law for 17 years. Hailing from Bijapur, he has settled down in Bangalore ten years ago. Though interested in children’s issues, he is unable to give time for CWC from morning till evening as he is a member in the consumer court also. He comes to CWC after noon. He never had any association with NGOs or groups working on children. 45 year old Masali serves CWC for the first term.
CURRENT MEMBERS
There are only three members in the Committee. Chairperson has not been designated. Though Ms Santhosh resigned from the post of Chairperson, it has not officially been accepted by the Government.
Fr Varhese Pallipuram and Mr Balakrishna V Masali have remained in the Committee. Ms Meera Madhava who is a member of Bangalore Urban-I has been additionally given responsibility to be a member in Urban-II. She now attends both CWCs. 50 year old Meera is a professional counselor and has been providing expert services for various institutions in Bangalore. She is regular to sittings in Urban II since 19th March 2010.
Name Age Qualification Number of term Position Status
Fr Varghese Pallipuram 45 Theology, PGCRL First Chairperson Regular
Balakrishna V. Masali 66 M.A., LL.B First Member Regular
Meera Madhav 54 BSc, PGCRL First Member
(Addl. Duty) Regular
(from Urban-I)


BEST CASES HANDLED
I. 13-year old Salma of Andhra Pradesh and 7-year old Ayesha of Mysore were working in an employer’s house in Bangalore. Salma was completely illiterate while Ayesha had never been to school. Seeing their plight, locals made a complaint with the Asoknagar police. Police went to the house and rescued the children and produced them before CWC.
Salma’s father had passed away years ago. She and her mother lived in poverty. She reached Bangalore through a known person. Employer took responsibility to get her married and employed her in his house five years back. After perusing the case, CWC asked the employer to pay Rs.96000 to the child on account of her back wages. He mother and relative were summoned and later she was released to them on the condition that she should be put to skill development training in her native place.
Ayesha also hailed from acute poverty situation and joined for employment in the same house. Her father had abandoned the family. Thereafter, her mother was trying to go to Soudi Arabia for a job. However, she lost her passport and all the hopes. She wanted her child with the employer for some time as a safer place. Ayesha had never been to school. CWC asked the employer to pay Rs.16000 since she worked there for a year. Later she was released to her mother. CWC put a condition that the NSC of Rs 16000 would be paid only if the child was admitted to school.
The employer agreed to all the terms of CWC and readily came forward to pay the compensation.
II. When Kalyani was in fourth standard, she left home of Sangli in Maharashtra angered on on the scoldings of her mother. She got into a train and reached Chennai. Police rescued and produced her before CWC, Chennai. She did not reveal about her own home. Instead, she said about her uncle living in Bangalore. Hence, Kalyani was transferred to Bangalore and produced before CWC in December 2009. As per the order of CWC, she was taken to streets of Shivajinagar to trace her uncle.
In the meantime, her missing from Sangli was raised in Maharashtra Assembly. The case became a headache for CWC and police. They could not trace her anywhere. After persuasion, Kalyani gave a telephone number of Sangli. Soon after the parents received the call, they came to Bangalore accompanied by police. Kalyani has a step father and a working mother. They had brought all documents related to the child. Police had well documented the case.
Kalyani had some nervous problem which led such children to somewhere not knowing the consequences.
Her parents were very happy to see her and distributed chocolates to all children in the Home. She was released to parents by the end of February 2010.
III. 8-year old Jasmine (name changed) of Mathahalli, Bangalore lost her parents in her young age. She was produced before CWC by Makkala Sahaya Vani. CWC ordered to locate the relatives. Ms Latha of SATHI took her to places near Marthahalli and found her grand parents. Grand father is 70 years old and Grand mother 65 years who live in poverty. Jasmine has an maternal uncle also. Jasmine wanted to go to school. However, grand parents are unable to look after her and provide education. Jasmine had left home twice earlier. She told CWC that she did not want to go home back. Hence, CWC thought of putting her in a fit institution. CWC had recently visited Annapurna Charitable Trust, near Kengeri, which was found well maintained with sufficient infrastructure and management. Jasmine was transferred to Annapurna Charitable Trust and she finds her new home interesting.
IV. 16-year old Rupadevi (name changed) of Puthur did not have a sweet childhood as her father had abandoned her family when he got remarried. Her mother was mentally ill. Her maternal uncle was looking after her. However, she ran away from home and reached Bangalore to take up some job. She was picked up by social workers and produced before CWC. Rupadevi was also was mentally ill, but she was active, obedient and good looking. Rupadevi gave a contact number of her mother’s sister and she was contacted. However, she suggested that Rupadevi should not be released. Later, CWC transferred her to Udupi GCH as she belongs to Dakshina Kannada.
V. On the basis of a complaint from the public, six girls were rescued from Indian Cultural Association, Bangalore which used them to collect donations from the public. A joint team of CWC and NGOs conducted the rescue operation. The children were in the age group of 7-14 years. Though children were looked after well, they were used to beg for funds. All the children were from Bangalore only. Since one of them was orphan, she was transferred to Navajeevan, a fit institution in Bangalore. Other children were released to their parents. CWC wrote to DWCD recommending the closure of the organization.
PRACTICES OF CWC
Best practices
 CWC functionaries sit in a line during sittings.
 Sitting is conducted for the whole day, from 11.00 am to 5.00 pm.
 Decisions are taken in consensus.
 Children and parents are offered chair during the time of deposing.
 Fit institutions are used for rehabilitation of children of critical nature.
 Court hall has an informal environment.
 Individual files are put up by superintendent and all CWC functionaries sign the orders.
Wrong practices
 CWC conducts only two sittings in a week.
 All the members do not come and sit together. One member comes after noon.
 Only three members in the Committee. One of them has recently been deputed from Bangalore Urban Committee -I.
COOPERATION WITH DEPT
Good examples
 District Women and Child Development Officers Mr Ayub Sherief regularly attended CWC sittings. Frequency of his coming is less in recent times. Mr Shivaramegowda of Bangalore Urban also has attended CWC sittings very frequently.
Bad examples
 Chairperson has not been appointed for CWC after the former chairperson’s resignation.
 Though Counselor is a top priority, no initiative has been taken by DWCD.
 P.O. under P.O.Act does not send report in time, which delays the action on children.
OTHER INFORMATION
There are fit institutions like APSA, BOSCO, SOS, Snehalya, Navajeevan, Matruchaya, Anatha Shishu Mandir and Helpline Charitable Trust in the city. Most of them are adoption agencies and they deal with children below 6 years only.
Superintendent Ms Leena lives outside the campus.





Chapter 4
FINDINGS
I. Major findings:
1. Though CWC is a bench of Magistrates of First Class, three-fourth of CWCs does not sit in a line in a number of districts. The court of CWC looks like a Principal’s chamber with Chairperson sitting separately.
2. Display board of CWC has been put up in all the CWC court halls in North Karnataka. Names of functionaries since 2004, their period, date of retirement etc have been displayed in the board.
3. Most of the functionaries do not have the latest amendment copy of JJA and the central rules 2007 available in the CWC office.
4. Recruitment of new persons for vacant positions has not been done. In Bellary, Gulbarga, Chamarajanagar, Udupi and Hassan, CWC finds it difficult to have a quorum to take final decisions.
5. Identity cards have been issued to all the CWC functionaries, except in Raichur. However, they hardly use it at the time of sittings.
6. In Chamarajanagar, Uttara Kannada, Kodagu, Raichur and Shimoga, CWC holds sitting in Superintendent’s chamber. They do not have a separate court hall.
7. In a large number of cases, those who are regularly absent in CWC or have left CWC have not submitted a relieving letter or resignation to the department or CWC.
8. Among the majority of CWC functionaries, prior experiences of 7 years in child related activities, which are mandatory for appointment, have not been found.
9. In three fourth of CWCs, Chairperson takes decisions unilaterally in the cases that come before CWC. Members hardly get opportunity to take part in decision making.
10. Adoption agencies are not available in every district. In North Karnataka, abandoned babies are sent to Amulya Shishu Gruh, Gulbarga or Shishu Gruh, Hubli for rehabilitation and social reintegration. However, Gulbarga CWC or Dharwad CWC declares such children legally free for adoption after the legal procedures undertaken. CWCs that have sent such children do not have a follow up mechanism in this regard. The publication in newspapers about the abandoned babies remains in the local pages of newspapers in Gulbarga or Hubli, barring the news from reaching the native place of the baby.
11. The letter head such as ‘IN THE COURT OF CHILD WELFARE COMMITTEE’ is hardly used by CWCs. Davanagere, Chitradurga, Mysore and Bangalore Urban use such letter head. When Tumkur CWC used it, DD objected to it and wrote to Director.
12. Only 3 CWCs have recommended for Fit Institutions in their respective districts after due inquiry and report.
13. Fit Person or foster care is still a new concept for most of the CWCs. Efforts have hardly been done to declare fit persons. Bangalore, Belgaum and Mysore have done such efforts.
14. Hassan CWC has initiated adoption process of orphan children above 6 years.
15. Bidar conducts sittings thrice in a week. However, Chitradurga, Bijapur and Kodagu hold sittings once in 15 days, that too depending on the volume of cases. Dharwad, Belgaum, Bellary, Koppal, Raichur and Mandya hold it once in a week. Uttara Kannada conducts sittings at least three in a month. Other CWCs hold sittings twice in a week.
16. CWCs do not have a list of NGOs in the district. It has not collected the list of orphanages or homes run under DoE or DoL. The department also has not yet given the list of the homes sponsored by DWCD.
17. In a large number of CWCs, only chairperson signs the proceedings book. Members sign only in the attendance column. Individual files of children are put up by Superintendents for orders of CWC in some districts. However, only chairperson signs in the file. In Belgaum, note sheets in individual files are not used at all. Orders are taken in individual sheets and filed in the file. Belgaum CWC has separately numbered files other than the files of Homes.
18. Availability and accessibility of CWC members are important for the public and children. However, some members are too busy to even attend the CWC. Even if they attend CWC, they are not able to give at least 4 hours.
19. In Raichur, members do not come for the sitting, except the chairperson. Members come and sign in the proceedings file whenever they find time.
20. Majority of CWCs believes that child labour does not come under its purview and therefore sends the cases to DoL. If children are below 14 years, they are housed in the residential school run under SCLP or NCLP in the district.
21. There is no coordination found in any district within various departments like DoL, DSW, BCM, RDPR, DoE, DHO, DWCD and CWC. Such coordination would have helped the children in the process of rehabilitation and reintegration. Coordination or periodical discussion with JJB also has not been taking place in any district.
22. NGO participation with CWC is very poor in majority of districts. In each district, one or two NGOs out of 30-40 active NGOs produce children for their rehabilitation. As per the amendment in 2006, every NGO running residential centres for children has to be registered under JJA. However, none has come forward to register under the Act in any district other than in Mysore.
23. A large number of CWCs has not issued ‘summons’ or ‘warrant’ to the parties concerned. Letter or notice is issued to the parties.
24. Majority of CWCs has not issued orders to police to file FIR against the perpetrators.
25. No CWCs have used the services of CWO in the jurisdictional police station to investigate the cases of violation of child rights.
26. In many Homes, P.O. is in charge of superintendent and therefore, P.O. report gets delayed.
27. A large number of CWCs does not have a professional counselor. In districts, P.O.s or CWC functionaries counsel the child and parents.
28. CWCs have hardly taken interest and care to set up visitors’ place, sitting arrangements for the child and the aggrieved parties.
29. Common programs of CWC and DWCD have hardly been conducted in districts.
30. Good examples of cooperation between DWCD and CWCs are rare. However, examples of non-cooperation are available in large number.
31. Some CWCs have visited the residential institutions of children at their own expenses.
32. Seal for member has not been made in many CWCs. In general, only chairperson’s seal is used.
33. Representatives from DD office hardly attend CWC sittings. In some districts, higher officials try to impose their superiority over CWC. In Chamarajanagar or Kolar or Bagalkot, CWC functionaries have faced wrath of such officials who do not have clarity on JJ system.
34. Except a few, the retired persons appointed in CWC find it difficult to manage with children’s cases. Most of them are hesitant to initiate innovative actions and prefer to go in the usual way.
35. There is no commonality in payment of sitting fees to CWC functionaries across the state. It ranges from Rs.100-200 against Rs.125 which is the mandatory amount mentioned in the Karnataka Rules 2002. Now, the Central Rules 2007 has enhanced it to a minimum of Rs.500.
36. Appeal against CWC order is allowed only in Sessions Court or High Court, not in any lower court. However, a case is going on against CWC Hassan in the lower court of Hassan.
37. Two functionaries of CWC Shimoga have been additionally appointed to CWC Udupi. These two members attend sittings at Udupi after a tedious journey from Shimoga. Earlier, the number of sittings was three in a week and now it has been reduced to one in a week in Udupi.
38. Children are not produced by the Producing Agency before the individual member if CWC is not in sitting. In some districts, chairperson or any member is informed by the Home over phone.
39. Periodical review of children in the Homes and individual care plan of each child are hardly done or supervised by CWCs.
40. After Ms Santhosh Vaz resigned from Bangalore Urban-II, the Committee sittings are held without a Chairperson. No Chairperson has been appointed thereafter.
41. After the resignation of Mr Vasudeva Sharma as Chairperson of Bangalore Urban-I, Ms Anita Shivakumar, former chairperson of terminated Bangalore Rural CWC has been appointed. However, she is irregular to the sittings.
42. Though 30 - 40 cases of children are presented in each sitting of Bangalore CWCs, shortage of staffs is a major problem. No counselor has been appointed after December 2009 in Bangalore.
43. There are seven woman-headed CWCs in the state namely Kolar, Uttara Kannada, Udupi, Gadag, Bagalkote, Bellary and Bangalore Urban-I.
II. Sittings of CWCs in the Karnataka
Sl No CWC No of sitting in a week Day of sitting
01 Bellary 01 Sat (2.30 – 6.00 pm)
02 Koppal 01 Tue (11.30 am-3.00 pm)
03 Raichur 01 Sat (1.00 – 4.00 pm)
04 Gulbarga 02 Wed, Fri (11.00 am -3.00 pm)
05 Bidar 03 Mon, Wed, Sat (3.00 -5.00 pm)
06 Belgaum 01 Thurs (10.00 am- 4.00 pm)
07 Bijapur Once in 15 days Twice in a month
(emergency meetings too)
08 Bagalkot 02 Tues, Fri (2.00 -6.00 pm)
09 Gadag 02 Wed, Sat (10.30 am-2.00 pm)
10 Haveri 02 Tue, Fri (3.00 -5.00 pm)
11 Dharwad 01 Wed (11.30 am- 3.00 pm)
12 Davanagere 02 Tue, Fri (10.00 am-5.00 pm)
13 Chitradurga Once in 15 days First and third Saturday (3.00-5.00 pm)
14 Shimoga 02 Mon, Thurs (11.00 am- 1.00 pm)
15 Uttara Kannada Once in 10 days Three times in a month
(emergency meetings too)
16 Udupi 03 (earlier)
01 (now) Mon, Wed, Fri (earlier)
Wednesday (now)
17 Kodagu Once in 15 days Twice in a month
18 Mysore 02 Tue, Wed (11.00 am – 3.00 pm)
19 Chamarajanagar 02 Tues, Fri (11.00 am – 2.00 pm)
20 Mandya Once in a week Wednesday (Saturday is optional) 4.00- 6.00 pm
21 Hassan 02 Tue, Fri (2.00 – 5.00 pm)
22 Tumkur 02 Mon, Thurs (2.00 – 6.00 pm)
23 Bangalore Urban-1 02 Mon, Thurs (11.00 am-5.00 pm)
24 Bangalore Urban-2 02 Tue, Fri (11.00 am- 5.00 pm)
25 Kolar 02 Mon, Thurs (11.00 am -3.00 pm)
III. Woman-headed CWCs in Karnataka
Sl No Name of CWC Chairperson
01 Kolar Ms Sugunamma
02 Haveri Ms Madhumati Magavi
03 Bellary Ms Susheela Siroor
04 Bagalkot Ms P G Purohit
05 Uttara Kannada Dr Sheela Borker
06 Udupi Ms Amrutha Kala
07 Bangalore Urban-I Ms Anita Shivakumar
IV. Contact details of Child Welfare Committees (updated as on 31.3.2010)

Sl No District Contact address Telephone

1
Dakshina Kannada Chairperson & members
Child Welfare Committee
Govt Observation Home
Bondel, Behind Women’s Technical College, Mirakul Village, Mangalore.
0824-2485401

2
Bangalore
Urban - I Chairperson & members
Child Welfare Committee
Bangalore Urban-I
Govt Boys’ Home,
Hosur Road,
Bangalore-560029
080 – 26561226

3
Bangalore
Urban - I Chairperson & members
Child Welfare Committee
Bangalore Urban-I
Govt Boys’ Home,
Hosur Road,
Bangalore-560029
080 – 26561226

4
Bagalkot Chairperson & members
Child Welfare Committee
Govt Boys’ Home, Sector No.5
Navanagara, Raichur-Bangalore Bypass Road, Near RTO office,
Bagalkot -587102
08354-200401

5
Bellary Chairperson & members
Child Welfare Committee
Govt Boys’ Home,
Contonment,
Bellary – 583 101.
08392-242065

6
Belgaum Chairperson & members
Child Welfare Committee
Govt Boys’ Home,
Shivajinagar,
Belgaum– 590 002
0831-2470785

7
Bijapur Chairperson & members
Child Welfare Committee
Govt Senior Boys’ Home, Managuli Road,
Bijapur- 580101
08352-277126

8 Bidar Chairperson & members
Child Welfare Committee
Govt Boys’ Home,
Myloor, Bidar – 5855403
08482-225714

9
Chitradurga Chairperson & members
Child Welfare Committee
Govt Boys’ Home, Ayyappa Swamy Temple Road,
1st Cross, Mitra Layout, Chitradurga- 577501
08194-224768

10
Davanagere Chairperson & members
Child Welfare Committee
Govt Boys’ Home,
Opp. Water Tank, P J Layout, Davanagere – 577 004
08192 – 260618

11
Gadag Chairperson & members
Child Welfare Committee
Govt Senior Boys’ Home,
Paul Badami Road,
Opp. SBI Branch
Bettegeri,
Gadag – 582 101
08372-2546344

12
Gulbarga Chairperson & members
Child Welfare Committee
Govt Boys’ Home, Surabag Darga Road, Gulbarga– 585 102. and
Govt Girls’ Home,
Alanda Road, Gulbarga -585102
08472-244756
(Boys’ Home)
08472-269438
(Girl’s Home)



13

Hassan Chairperson & members
Child Welfare Committee
Govt Boys’ Home,
Park Road, Hassan – 573 201
08172-268754

14
Dharwad Chairperson & members
Child Welfare Committee
Govt Senior Boys’ Home,
Old Observation Building,
Hunkal Cross,
Hubli – 580 031.
0836-2372061

15
Kolar Chairperson & members
Child Welfare Committee
Govt Boys’ Home,
Mescom Road, Anderson Pet
KGF – 563 601.
08153-274634

16
Koppal Chairperson & members
Child Welfare Committee
Govt Junior Boys’ Home,
Near Bannikatte,
Gadag – 583131


08539-231525

17
Mysore Chairperson & members
Child Welfare Committee
Govt Boys’ Home, Chikkaramane,
Lalit Mahal Road,
Mysore-570011.

0821-2472576

18
Kodagu Chairperson & members
Child Welfare Committee
Govt Boys’ Home,
New Layout,
Madikeri – 571 201
08272-228220

19
Mandya Chairperson & members
Child Welfare Committee
Govt Boys’ Home,
Marigowda Layout,
Near Dist Prison,
Mandya– 571 401.
08232-220743

20
Raichur Chairperson & members
Child Welfare Committee
Govt Girls’ Home,
Himagiri Complex,
Railway Station Area,
Raichur– 584 101

9845188072


21
Haveri Chairperson & members
Child Welfare Committee
Govt Boys’ Home,
Ranibennur,
Haveri District -581 115
08373-266289

22
Chamarajanagar Chairperson & members
Child Welfare Committee
Govt Boys’ Home,
Housing Board Colony,
Behind JSS Girls’ High School, ChamarajanagarÀ – 571 313.
08226 – 225711

23
Uttara Kannada Chairperson & members
Child Welfare Committee
Govt Girls’ Home,
Karwar- 581 301.
08382-226501

24
Udupi Chairperson & members
Child Welfare Committee
Govt Girls’ Home,
Kithur Road, Udupi.

25
Tumkur Chairperson & members
Child Welfare Committee
Govt Girls’ Home,
Amarjyoti Nagar, Ward No.29,
Kunigal Road, Tumkur-– 572104.
0816-2201006

26
Shimoga Chairperson & members
Child Welfare Committee
Govt Boys’ Home,
Halukola, 100 Feet Road, Shimoga – 577204.
08182-251511















Chapter 5
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Days and timings of CWC have to be made as far as common across the state to facilitate the production, admissions and transfer. Minimum number of sittings has to be made mandatory for all CWCs.
2. The functionaries who work in other organizations or institutions need to get permission from the authority to attend CWC regularly. DWCD has to facilitate production of such letter from the head of the NGO/institution and ensure that the person is not transferred until the full term is completed.
3. Independent persons have to be given priority in recruitment to CWC in order to mitigate the pressure on the functionaries in terms of work, time, influence and harassment.
4. If persons who are involved in too many activities are recruited, they are required to submit an undertaking that they are able to spare minimum mandatory number of hours for CWC.
5. There shall be a mechanism wherein each CWC functionary undergoes a rigorous training program not less than a span of 10 days after recruitment to CWC. Each one should be able to pass a test with minimum marks after the training. This is critical for CWC functionaries to streamline the JJ mechanism in the district as well as in the state.
6. A periodical monitoring mechanism of all CWCs should be in place with a view to review and analyze the decisions taken by CWC. In the monitoring committee, there shall be at least one Judge not less than the rank of a Sessions Judge.
7. There is an urgent need of streamlining the proceedings, documentation mechanism within CWC. Issue of summons, warrants, SIR, recording the proceedings, signature of functionaries, style of sitting in the court hall etc need to be looked into and made common.
8. Counseling services are vital to the rehabilitation and restoration of children by the CWC. Therefore, appointment of counselor/s in CWC cannot be discounted at any cost. In places where there is more number of institutions, at least two counselors need to be provided.
9. Recruitment of retired persons to the CWC may be avoided to increase the efficacy and innovation in CWC.
10. CWCs need to put more focus on adoption, foster care and after care as part of children’s social reintegration.
11. Restoration and release of children should be processed through the jurisdictional CWC even if parents/ relatives produced all documents. The jurisdictional CWC could make a follow up and monitoring of the child in the district.
12. Each CWC library should have copies of JJA, IPC, Cr PC, CLPRA, Bonded Labour Abolition Act, Child Marriage Abolition Act and other relevant Acts with a view to strengthen the knowledge of CWC functionaries and staffs on related laws.
13. DWCD has to prepare a reference directory of resources and make it available to each CWC. It shall contain the names and addresses of children’s homes (boys and girls), homes for special children, after care homes, adoption agencies, fit institutions, fit persons, donors and government schemes for deprived children.
14. A coordination committee of various departments at the district level is necessary to ensure facilities for the needy children and set right the discrepancies with regard to rehabilitation and reintegration of children.
15. DWCD has to make sure of registration of all NGOs running residential centres for children under JJA and their presence in CWC or JJB regularly.
16. Training on JJ system is to be made compulsory for the Institutional staff to assist CWC or JJB. The staff members who have been trained to assist JJ systems should not get transferred during the tenure of CWC or JJB with a view to ensuring effective functioning of JJ systems.
17. Recruitment of functionaries to CWC should be from the district only. Members find it impractical to attend sittings from a distant place or other district. Two functionaries of Shimoga CWC have been appointed as members of Udupi CWC to make the JJA a mockery. It is funny to see that members who have no knowledge of the local situations come from a far away district every week.
18. A platform is required for all CWC functionaries to share the experiences, review of oders made, new directions of government, High Court/Supreme Court orders with regard to juveniles or JJA, issues with regard to DWCD and other relevant issues. A periodical newsletter in print or electronic would help all the functionaries follow up regularly the new developments.
















CONCLUSION
CWCs have now almost completed their second term in Karnataka. During the span of six years, the very existence of CWC mechanism in each district has definitely enhanced the value of positive approach in the cases of children. A large number of deprived and disadvantaged children went through the justice process of CWC within this period. Though small, CWC has created some changes in the mindset of institutional staffs, officials, police personnel, parents and children. The experiences of CWC have proved to be an indicator of the infinite scope of the system in delivering justice to millions of children. It underlines the major role of CWC to play in the lives of children with a view to ensuring care and protection, and social justice.
The tour to each CWC has not only enriched this consultant’s knowledge and experiences, but helped the CWC functionaries retrospect their strengths, weaknesses and opportunities within the system as well. Interaction with the functionaries for hours together has no doubt created a space for mutual learning and exchange of experiences within the system.
In this study, while experiences were documented, the best and wrong practices and the lacunae also were taken into account to strengthen the system in the years to come. In each district, CWC has developed its own style of functioning within its limitations and limited resources, though a few features are found in common. It is imperative to note that CWC functionaries are in need of continuous inputs to strengthen the system in the district, other than the supportive systems such as DWCD, SJPU, Children’s Homes and NGOs. Lacunae could be found among the functionaries in terms of lack of deep understanding on JJA, parochial and compartmentalized approach on exploitation of children, delivery of actual justice, documentation of procedures and administration, and coordination and networking with child centric systems of the district.
Children’s Homes play a significant role in the functioning of CWC. However, supportive system in the CHs for effective rehabilitation of children is inadequate in many districts. CHs need to be revamped through attitudinal change exercise among staff members, appointment of fresh faces, infrastructural maintenance and regular flow of funds. This would not doubt strengthen CWC in each district in ensuring care and protection of children.
Rigorous basic trainings, frequent refresher programs and periodical monitoring are highly significant in strengthening the CWCs of the state, with a special focus on North Karnataka. Violation of rights of children is reported from Northern part of the state in large number. Child marriage, child labour, trafficking and abuse of children, child beggary, migration of children, and deprivation of school education are some forms of exploitation prevalent in Northern districts. There have been interventions of NGOs and other national and international agencies in such cases. Nevertheless, such chronic violations are not brought before CWCs in sufficient number compared to its magnitude. This indicates the lacunae of activism among the functionaries as well as the other stakeholders of children. JJ(C&P) Act is an effective tool to end the violence unleashed on children and ensure justice to them, if strengthened it by augmenting human and financial resources, from time to time. Constant advocacy with the Government in this direction is the need of the hour.













About the researcher
45 year old P.P.Baburaj has been serving CWC, Mysore district since 2007. A journalist and lawyer by training, he has worked in various newspapers, networks and NGOs. He served as National Program Coordinator of Campaign Against Child Labour (CACL) and worked as Project Director of child labour elimination project of ILO in Chamarajanagar district. He is the founder secretary of People’s Legal Forum (PLF), a NGO working on protection of human rights, with special focus on child rights.
About SATHI
SATHI, a national NGO headquartered in Bangalore has been making interventions on the issues of children in difficult circumstances and juvenile justice system for more than two decades. Its intervention has spread to various states like Maharashtra, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. SATHI has initiated capacity building of Child Welfare Committees across India with a view to ensure effective delivery of justice to children in difficult circumstances. This study report is an outcome of SATHI’s intitiation to understand the ground situation with regard to functioning of CWCs in Karnataka.