A team of Manipur Commission for Protection Child Rights (MCPCR) led by its chairperson Keisam Pradipkumar visited two relief camps at the Veterinary compound, Porompat and Government Dance College compound, Palace Compound in Imphal East on Sunday.
The visit was conducted to assess the situations of the displaced children in the camps with special emphasis on their Right to Food, Right to Education and accessibility to mid-day meal provisions.
During the visit, the MCPCR chairperson interacted with the displaced children at the camps.
Speaking to the media, Keisam Pradipkumar asserted that the visit had been conducted to survey the conditions of displaced children at relief camps.
“It was found that two girls and two boys between the ages of six-nine years have dropped out of schools at Porompat relief camp. They failed to get admitted at schools after their displacement from Moreh in May last year,” he said.
He stated that MCPCR had apprised the ZEO Imphal East team, who also accompanied the visit, to ensure immediate enrolment of the dropped out children so that they do not lose their academic year.
He also stressed the need to provide benefits of midday meal facilities to the displaced children studying at private schools.
“Displaced children in the age group of 14-18 years are categorised as victims of armed conflict or civil unrest or as Child in Need of Care and Protection (CNCP) under Juvenile Justice Act that deserve special protection beyond the schematic framework,” he said.
The visiting team also assessed how the neighborhood ICDS centres have catered the needs of the children under six in the relief camps.
The chairperson emphasised the need for modification in formulation of the existing Supplementary Nutritional Programmes for children and pointed out the need to make packed foods of the Ready to Eat nutritional supplements under the programme more palatable and culturally appropriate for the children.
“The beneficiary students have strongly complained that these nutritional supplements have an unusual taste and smell,” he said.
Altogether, as many as 2016 displaced children have been declared to be CNCP, according to latest updates. During the visit, the displaced children were also provided 53 hot case tiffins.
MCPCR members Kausar Banu, Habibur Rahman, H Doren along with officials from other departments also took part in the visit.
