PANAJI
Children living at State-run Apna Ghar in Merces are being housed beneath sections of a deteriorating roof where concrete has broken away to expose reinforcement bars, while seven of the 16 CCTV cameras at the home were found not working during a recent inspection by the Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC) panel.
The condition of the building came up during the Commission’s August 3 visit to the rehabilitation home, which houses four boys in conflict with the law and 14 boys, 16 girls and a toddler classified as children in need of care and protection.
The inspection report, released to the media on Thursday, mentioned that portions of the roof, particularly over the children’s dormitories and some play areas, had damaged concrete and exposed reinforcement steel, which required immediate attention.
“The premises, though generally maintained, appeared worn out. Paint had faded at several places and the exterior portions of the building had become mossy, indicating the need for maintenance and repainting... portions of the roof, particularly above the children's dormitories and certain play areas, had damaged concrete surfaces with exposed reinforcement bars. Such structural deterioration poses a potential safety hazard to the children and requires immediate attention,” reads an extract of the seven-page report.
The panel comprising Chairperson, Justice Bharat Deshpande, and Members Desmond D’Costa and Pramod Kamat also pointed to missing and broken wall tiles at many locations including dormitories and toilets.
The Commission suggested that plaster or aluminium panels could be considered in places where tiles continued to get damaged.
The report also recorded that the institution had already written to the Public Works Department several times seeking an inspection of the roof and washrooms, including communications made in October 2025, January and June this year. The Electricity Department was also informed on July 22 about a non-functioning street light, but no action was taken by the time of the inspection.
The Commission has now asked that the damaged roof and other civil works be taken up by the PWD on priority and completed within a defined timeframe. It also recommended that Directorate of Women and Child Development (WCD) monitor the work.
The CCTV system revealed another gap as seven cameras were not operational when the panel inspected the premises. Officials told the Commission that repairs had already begun and that the cameras were expected to be restored shortly.
So also, the girls’ section on the first floor near the dormitory had no safety grills. “Safety grills may be installed at appropriate locations on the first floor of the girls' section, particularly near the dormitory, to prevent accidental falls and to safeguard the children from any untoward incident,” the Commission suggested.
The kitchen and canteen were found clean, but the infrastructure was old and the water purifier appeared worn out. The Commission has suggested renovation of the kitchen and canteen and repair or replacement of the purifier where necessary.
The panel also found that the Deputy Director had no delegated financial powers to spend money under the applicable rules. The Commission said this could become a problem during emergencies, and recommended giving the officer limited powers to meet such requirements without waiting for approval in every instance.
“The WCD may examine the feasibility of delegating suitable and limited financial powers to the officer in charge of Apna Ghar, within the framework of the applicable financial rules, to meet urgent and unforeseen requirements relating to the care, safety, health and welfare of the children. Such powers may particularly facilitate prompt expenditure on essential medicines, emergency repairs and other urgent necessities where delay in obtaining prior approval may adversely affect the children,” it said.
The department has also been recommended to ensure periodic maintenance, repainting and treatment of moss-affected portions of the building. “The condition of the premises may be reviewed periodically so that minor deterioration is attended to before it develops into a major repair requirement,” it said while also proposing examining the feasibility of installing rooftop solar panels in consultation with the appropriate technical authorities.
The Commission has sought an action-taken report on its recommendations by October 6.
