Commission demands cops off schools

BHUBANESWAR: The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has asked the State Government to withdraw police from educational institutions in Dhinkia area of the Posco project site to allow children attend schools.The issue was raised at the meeting the three-member NCPCR team had with Chief Secretary Bijay Kumar Patnaik here on Tuesday. Yogesh Dube, member of the NCPCR, told this paper that police force kept in reserve was occupying at least four or five primary schools in the area. The State Government should ensure that peace returns to the proposed plant site villages so that the children could go back  to schools without any fear, Dube, who heads the three-member team, said. Most of the schools witnessed thin attendance as students joined the agitation, he said.Children are at the forefront of the anti-Posco movement in Gobindpur. Participation of children in the anti-Posco agitation has been declared illegal by the State Government. It has asked the activists, who are on a dharna to prevent the entry of administration and police, to vacate the area.The Commission has appealed to the State Government, parents, anti-Posco leaders and others to stop children’s participation in the agitation.The team asked the State Government to improve the living standards of families and children in the transit camp on way to Dhinkia. As many as 52 displaced families are living in the camp.Dube said that essential items should be supplied to the families in the camp through the public distribution system (PDS) and the benefits of integrated child development scheme (ICDS) should be made available to them.The team also had a detailed discussion with officials on the condition of children living in different hostels.    The team members interacted with children, their parents, anti-Posco leaders, district officials and police besides visiting  schools in the proposed plant site villages. Dube said that the team would submit its report to the chairperson of the NCPCR soon. Recommendations to the State Government will follow on the basis of the findings in the report.