New Delhi: The Calcutta High Court has ordered West Bengal authorities to ensure that children at protection homes and migrant worker camps get immunity-boosting measures recommended by the AYUSH ministry against Covid-19, such as warm water, tulsi kadha, golden milk and yoga.
Hearing a suo motu petition last Wednesday, a bench comprising Justices Soumen Sen and Harish Tandon took note of the measures listed on the official AYUSH website. These include having chyawanprash, applying sesame or coconut oil in both nostrils twice a day, and inhaling steam with fresh mint leaves for dry cough or sore throat.
It also referred to the standard operating procedure published by different government departments for child protection homes, and asked the West Bengal Department of Women and Child Development and Social Welfare to ensure the implementation of measures such as disinfection of homes, vegetables and packaged milk, and protocol for visiting outsiders.
The judges further directed all departments of the government concerned with child rights to make sure that all children — institutionalised, non-institutionalised as well as migrants — receive these benefits and measures.
The court was informed that there are 3,502 children in various camps for migrant labourers across West Bengal, and it directed the district magistrates of each district to also file a report on the number of migrant children in their districts, as well as the mental and physical condition of children in migrant labour camps. It directed secretaries of the departments of health and child development to take “immediate steps to ensure the safety and security of such children”.
The matter will next be heard after two weeks.
Also read: Unethical, unreasonable to ignore Ayurveda for Covid treatment & prevention, say researchers
Vigil on POCSO accused
During the hearing, the court took note of another report filed by the West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights, which said that since there has been a delay in filing charge sheets and recording statements under Section 164 CrPC in POCSO cases, the accused in several such cases have been granted bail.
The court expressed concern over this development and directed district judges to ensure that the statements under Section 164 CrPC are recorded without further delay.
Taking note of the apprehension that accused might threaten the victims and the witnesses, the court ordered: “In this pandemic situation, it is important that the child rights are secured, and accordingly, we direct the superintendents of police of all the districts to issue necessary directions upon the officer-in-charge of all the police stations within their jurisdiction to keep vigil in the locality, so that the perpetrators do not cause abuses to the vulnerable children during the lockdown situation.”
Inmates with cough and cold symptoms, fever
The Calcutta High Court had initiated a suo motu petition last month regarding the spread of Covid-19 in child protection homes, after the Supreme Court initiated a similar petition.
The bench was Wednesday considering a report filed by the joint secretary of the health and family welfare department, claiming that a total of 45 inmates had been reported to have cough and cold symptoms. It further noted that while 19 of these 45 inmates were also taken to fever clinics, the medical officers did not recommend Covid-19 tests.
The court, however, pointed out that the report does not specify the present physical condition of the remaining inmates. Neither did it include the number of counsellors appointed for each home.
The health and child development departments were, therefore, directed to file a comprehensive report within two weeks.
Also read: Cases of children with Covid far fewer, but significantly threaten world’s ability to reopen