The Supreme Court of India, on 7^th June 2021, while hearing a case extended orders to the state of West Bengal to collect and upload the information of those children who have lost their parents due to COVID and are in urgent need of care and protection on the NCPCR portal on immediate basis. While ordering the same the court highlighted the fact that other states have already uploaded the said information soon after the first order, only West Bengal hasn’t showed any sort of communication from there end. Apparently the information is supposed to be uploaded in 6 stages on the portal, but currently the court has asked the states to upload information on the basis of first and second stage.

Tamil Nadu has also been asked by the bench to Identify the orphan children and upload the same on the NCPCR portal. Amid the rose in number of cases of COVID 19, Tamil Nadu is advised to engage CWC, District Authorities, Child Protection Authorities in order to increase the pace of gaining data and efforts for all the orphaned children.

The court also seek suggestions from the Amicus Curies, and they noted that such children will also require mental, physical, and financial assistance after they lose their parents due to the Coronavirus. They stated the fact that in case the income of the guardian of the said children is equivalent or less than 2 Lakh rupees per annum then the Authorities can provide such child monetory assistance of Rs. 2000/- per month till they turn adults. If in case the child doesn’t want to live with the guardians then the child can be produced before CWC immediately, by physical means or virtually, whatever seems available.

The welfare and monitoring of such children should be undertaken by the DCPO and the CWC in regular intervals from 3 to 6 months in order to ensure overall well being of the Children in every sphere. They must ensure the well being of the child physically, mentally and financially, and should check that the child is not engaged into child labour or any form of trafficking chain.

The District Education Officer must ensure that these children are continuing the education, for next one year or so at least and if there is some difficulty in attending, the same can be taken care of. If child is of school-going age, they should be enrolled in Government Schools or Private Schools under the RTE Act. The respected authorities can also monitor the working of the NGO’s that have claimed to be taken the responsibility of the orphan children in order to ensure that everything is going as per the law.

– Animesh Raizada, Intern