SHILLONG, May 27: Amid ongoing concerns over the safety of children studying outside the state, the Meghalaya State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MSCPCR) has initiated the process of drafting standard operating procedures, or SOPs, and guidelines to ensure their protection and well-being.
MSCPCR Chairperson Agatha K Sangma, after an inter-departmental meeting on Tuesday, said the move comes in response to reports and testimonies about children being housed in “illegally established institutes” under often dangerous and unregulated conditions.
“We have been seeing reports and also hearing from many sources about children going out of the state and staying in illegally established institutes. There have been cases where children suffered from food poisoning, and two died,” she said.
She referred to the food poisoning incident at a hostel in Karnataka, where two students from Meghalaya lost their lives and 22 others were hospitalised. The incident in March highlighted the glaring gaps in monitoring and accountability when children are sent out of the state under NGO assistance.
“This alarming situation is arising with children taken out of the state. The commission discussed it in the meeting with representatives from the education, police, health, labour, and law departments,” Sangma noted, expressing deep concern.
She said the MSCPCR will hold brainstorming sessions with all relevant departments to finalise the prerequisites and safeguards.
“We have decided to take suggestions from various departments for the SOPs and guidelines to be adhered to when children are taken out of the state,” she added.
She said the suggestions received at the meeting were valuable, and the inputs would be shared when the MSCPCR comes out with a document.
The initiative marks a critical step in tightening oversight and ensuring that vulnerable children are not put at risk in the name of opportunity.
