Meeting Minutes of QIC&AC, Delhi: August 2009

Date: 13.08.09 at 2.30PM-05:00PM
Venue: Observation Home, Prayas, 1 Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi Gate, Delhi

Participants:
Mr. Vikram Dutt, Udayan Care
Mr. Bhupendra Kr., Prayas
Mr. Ravi Prakash, CRY
Mr. Jitendra Kr. Singh, Pahal
Adv. Abhishek Awasti, Individual
Mr. Praveen Kushwah, Pahal
Mr. Afsar Ahmed Khan, HRLN
Ms. Saumya Bhatt, Prayas
Ms. Kesar Parveen, QIC & AC Delhi

Apologies received:
Ms. Mamta Sahey, CWC
Ms. Bharti Sharma, Individual
Ms. Pubali Agarwal, Delhi University
Ms. Shweta Verma, Saarthak
Ms. Ritu Pardarshita

Agenda:
Sharing of Pilot Project initiated by labour dept. and facts finding under RTI Act : by Jitendra ji
Discussion on HC Judgment in PIL filed by QIC&AC : by Adv. Awasti ji
Any other issue taken up by the group

Before start, presented members interacted with children inmates in the institution. It was wonderful experience to interact with the children inmates & learn about their activities during their stay in the institution.

Points Discussed:

*Vikram Dutt ji Shared that “National Workshop on Mental Health” will be fixed on 6th & 7th Nov. 2009. ISI is booked for the purpose. This was unanimously accepted since resolution for same has already been passed.
*Jitendra ji shared about the origin & features of Pilot Project initiated by Labour dept. He is working on it from last one year after receive of copy of the meeting minutes held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit. The Pilot Project discussed in said meeting was initiated with the object “total eradication of child labour”. To analyse the relationship or productivity of the project (output & outcome ratio) Jitendra ji decided to file RTI Application in June 2008. Unfortunately he didn’t receive concrete information. This results filing of series of applications till date. But every reply creates discrepancies when compare with prior information. Three times he faced CIC hearings and received orders in favour of request made by him but labour dept. takes no notice. No compliance by the labour dept. compels him to share the fact findings of Pilot project before the big group. Finally he arrived at the conclusion that one day workshop would be organized in which NGO’s working on the issue, concern Govt. depts.. & Media would be the expected participant. The objective of the workshop will be to develop understanding on the special approach used by the concern dept. under pilot project.

Vikrum Dutt ji shared about the stand of Mr. Wajahat Habibullah, Chief Information Commissioner in the cases of non compliance by different depts... So he suggested to approach Wajahat ji as a next step.
Also Vikram ji suggested to prepare a summary document on his findings under RTI.

*Vikram ji shared about the new move by Uttarakhand to eradicate the child labour under which, government of Uttarakhand slapped a show cause notice on the organizations working with children, specially mentally retarded children, because of the selling of products made by the children inmates under their project activities.. He finds no way out as legally this will not be challenged & so he also stopped such activities going under his supervision.

*Bhupendra Ji facilitated the visit of members in the Home premises. He shared about the activities & training provided to the inmates. Good practices were shared by him. Display articles were shown which were made by the children inmates. Inmates also presented a gift to Vikram ji and coordinator, QIC&AC.

*Coming back from the visit Adv. Awasti ji discussed the operative part of the HC Judgment as an outcome of the PIL filed by QIC&AC in 2006. To find the detailed judgment login http://lobis.nic.in/dhc/ Case No. CW—9767/2009.
Most important is that court has not disposed off the matter but direct all the concern authorities to file first action taken report with in six months. For the purpose the bench will take the matter on 13th Jan., 2010.

Future Plan:
Tentative date for the workshop on “eradication of Child Labour & Pilot Project” would be 18th Sep, 2009. For the preparations and support needed Jitendra ji, Adv. Awasti ji and Coordinator, QIC&AC would sit together to work on checklist for the purpose. ISI would be the venue for the day if number of participant expected increases by 35. However According to Jitendra ji, expected list of participants would be 50 therefore members presented were with the view to book ISI

The Meeting ended with vote of thanks to Prayas for their hospitality..

Meeting Minutes of QIC&AC, Delhi: June 2009

Date: 25.06.09 at 03:00pm

Venue: Udayan Care office, 16/97A, Vikram Vihar, Lajpat Nagar IV, behind Vikram Hotel

Participants:
Vikram Dutt, Udayan Care
Mamta Sahai, Savera/ CWC MayurVihar
Bharti Sharma, Member QIC&AC, Delhi
Amod Kumar, St. Stephens Hospital
Zaved N. Rahman, Butterflies
Ravinder Kaur, Butterflies
Neelam Matai, Save the Children India, Delhi
Nidhi Thakur, Save the Children India, Delhi
Archina Dhar, SOS, Nizamuddin
Snehasis, Udayan Care
Manzoor Alam, Prayas
Kesar Parveen, Coordinator, QIC & AC Delhi


Agenda of the Meeting:
To develop the suggestions/comment on the draft foster care rules developed by Dept. of WCD.
New members presented on the day were introduced themselves.

Points Discussed:
*Discussion started to share about the letter received from the Dept. of WCD with the request to send them suggestions/comments on the draft Delhi Foster Care Rules developed by them.
*Dr. Amod Kumar shared his best practices in which he is fostering 6 children facilitating residence to them opposite to their office.
*Vikram Dutt shared that the concept of foster care is adapted from west. Further he differentiate between foster care and adoption in the light of property rights on the property of the respective parents.
*Kesar Parveen to understand the term more clearly asked about the difference between foster parents and adhoc guardians. Dr. Bharti Sharma replied that in JJ Act the term “guardian” is no where defined. Also it is the term comes under the jurisdiction of civil court not under the jurisdiction of CWC.
*Dr. Bharti Sharma shared about the enriched contents of the Delhi Draft Foster Care Rules proposed by QIC&AC to the Dept. in 2004. Mr. G. Narendra Kumar, Director, WCD accepted that doc. word by word also put his own inputs but unfortunately he transferred and the doc. kept pending with the dept..
*Archina Dhar shared about the National Consultation on Foster Care and showed the report for the same. She along with Dr. Bharti Sharma was with the view that this report contains all the aspects which are part of the draft proposed in 2004.
*Dr. Bharti Sharma raises serious objections on the draft developed by the dept., specifically she said, CWC is not a service providing body but a quasi judicial body and could not perform such tasks as mentioned in the draft.

Action Plan:
*Decision was taken by the group to send a letter to the Secy. Dept. of WCD in reference with draft proposed to them in 2004. Also to mark the copy to Director, WCD.
*A group of Dr. Bharti Sharma, Dr. Amod Kumar, Mamta Sahay and Archina Dhar would meet Secretary, Director also to press on the issue.