Under the aegis of the Juvenile Justice Committee of the Calcutta High Court, a Cluster V meeting was held today at the office of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate in Durgapur, with participation from four districts of South Bengal.
The districts represented were West Burdwan, East Burdwan, Hooghly and Birbhum. The programme was organised in collaboration with the department of women and child development and social welfare of the state government.
Justices Amrita Singha, Shampa Roy and Smita Das De of the Calcutta High Court were the principal speakers. District judges, additional district judges, POCSO court judges, sub-divisional court judges of the four districts, along with government public prosecutors and officials from the health department, were also present.
The discussions focused on how the Juvenile Justice Boards in each district can work towards securing the future of children. Issues concerning justice, education and the rehabilitation of juveniles into the mainstream were taken up.
The meeting also served as a platform for coordination between the judiciary and the administration on the implementation of the Juvenile Justice Act. Members of the Child Welfare Committee were in attendance as well. Matters relating to food, accommodation and education of children under the Juvenile Justice system were reviewed, according to a senior public prosecutor from Hooghly district.
Security at the office of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate in Durgapur was tightened by police ahead of the meeting. Discussions were also held on measures to protect juveniles under the provisions of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS). Broader issues including child labour, sexual abuse and child marriage were also deliberated upon.