Of the 200 wards in the city, only two have established ward-level child protection committees. are functioning in Chennai out of the 200 wards in the city. However, officials in the Department of Children Welfare and Special Services have said that they are working with the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) to form urban ward-level child protection panels soon.

According to a government order issued by the Social Welfare Department last year, such committees were to be formed in all urban local bodies, including town panchayats, municipalities and corporations, to ensure children’s safety. The committees are meant to step up vigilance with the help of authorities for promoting a child-friendly environment. They aim at reducing school dropouts and preventing child labour, and curbing nutrition deficiency, among others. The district child protection unit will handle the capacity-building initiatives for the committee members.

The two child protection panels – wards 38 and 47 – hold meetings every three months. “So far, we have taken decisions regarding the rampant drug abuse among children, upkeep of the neighbourhood park and display of helplines in public places. Further, a survey is being undertaken through the councillor to declare our neighbourhood child-friendly, for which we have to ensure that every child is enrolled in school. However, as there is no formal mechanism in place, it has been difficult to submit our reports to the District Collector,” said Virgil D’Sami, executive director of Arunodaya, who takes the initiative to hold the meetings.

While these two wards North Chennai have formed the panels, the other wards in the city – 58 wards in North Chennai, 79 in Central Chennai and 58 in South Chennai – are yet to do so.

According to an official from the child welfare committee, steps are being taken to establish the panels. However, with just eight officers in the North Chennai District Child Protection Unit, there is a lack of manpower to monitor them.

While a letter to set up the panels was moved when the G.O. was issued, the process was delayed as the Chief Health Officer at the GCC had not cleared it. “So we had to start a new process to set up [the panels]. We are expecting it to be cleared by next week,” an official said.