Law Kumar Mishra
Patna, June 3
Following directives of the Supreme Court, subordinate judiciary in Jharkhand has taken a lead in adopting COVID orphans.
A team of judicial officers led by the chairman of Jharkhand Legal Service Authority and sitting Judge of Ranchi High Court, Justice Amresh Kumar Singh extended financial assistance to four COVID orphans in a village in Gumla district, 500 kms from here.
Justice Amresh Kumar Singh, suo motu took cognizance of the plight of the four children who lost their parents in the Corona second wave and with district officials visited Chundari village under Ghaghra block. Judges met the children and handed over cheques of Rs 10,000 to each of them on behalf of the legal authority and Rs 6,000 more on behalf of the social welfare department.
Ms Vandana Singh, wife of Justice Singh, gifted clothes and sweets to the four children whose father, Soma Oraon and mother Karmi Oraon became victims of deadly Corona last month.
They promised under the project-Shishu, legal authority would meet the expenses of their education with assistance from the social welfare department. High Court judges assured Khetwa Oraon, grandfather of the orphaned children, accommodation under the PM Housing scheme and old age pension,
Mohammad Shakir, secretary of the authority said the members of the authority would monitor proper care and schooling. A team of para legal volunteers would find out more orphans who lost their parents to Corona.
The Jharkhand Legal Services Authority would work for rehabilitation of the Covid orphans and bridge between the children and the social welfare department..Its members would identify the poor children whose parents died of COVID-19.
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has identified 1742 COVID orphans in the country.