Principal Magistrate, Juvenile Justice Board (JJB), Anantnag, Fayaz Qureshi, has directed Director Health Kashmir to provide an ambulance to Observation Home at Harwan in view of COVID19 threat.
Qureshi also directed the authorities to provide sufficientstock of sanitizers and masks to Observation Home.
The Supreme Court has taken Suo Moto cognizance of thepresent situation resulting due to COVID19 and passed a slew of directions,asking JJBs, Child Welfare Committees and the state governments for takingsteps to decongest Observation Homes, Special Homes, Safety Homes and otherrelevant places.
Acting on Supreme Court directions, the JJB Anantnaginspected the Observation Home Harvan to take firsthand account of thesituation.
The report prepared by JJB Anantnag said despite the factthere was only one Observation Home in Kashmir, there was no ambulance kept foremergency service at the Home.
“It is reaffirmed and recommended again that Director HealthServices Kashmir must provide one ambulance with full time driver toObservation Home, Harwan which must be kept ready to combat any medicalexigency which can erupt at any point of time,” the report reads.
“Data collected during inspection shows that with effectfrom 5 August 2029 to 1 March 2020, there were 214 children at the Home. Andwith effect from 2017 to July, 2019 there were 1017 children kept in theObservation Home which is a very high figure,” reads the report.
The report says there were very limited numbers of masksavailable in the Observation Home which may not be sufficient to cater thecurrent requirement of incoming cases as well as existing lodgments.
“Therefore, DCPO DCPU Srinagar shall ensure that sufficientstock of sanitizers, disinfectants and masks are kept available in ObservationHome forthwith and intimation of the same shall be given to this Board,” itreads.