Mysore, Feb. 3 (RK)- Children are like precious saplings that need to be nurtured and fostered with care, said B.R. Ravikanthe-gowda, DCP (Law and Order), while inaugurating a workshop on 'Juvenile Rights and Chil-dren's Protection for the City Police and Juvenile Welfare Officers at the Police Commissioner's Office here this morning.

The one-day workshop organised by Echo Institute of Bangalore, District Child Welfare Committee and city-based People's Legal Forum will focus on various aspects of the current laws pertaining to minor children and juveniles with special emphasis on the girl child.

Ravikanthegowda called upon all involved in child protection or in dealing with juvenile minors, to educate themselves about the laws pertaining to children, and more importantly develop an idea of being able to empathise with them.

It may be recalled that most States do not have a specially designated Child Rights Protection Act and in a majority of cases have recourse to the Indian Penal Code.

Atrocities against children are rarely reported and it is here that the Police should be pro-active when dealing with cases involving children, he said.

DCP Rajendra Prasad, who was also the chief guest, made a reference to the special Juvenile Protection Act of 1963 and the need for updating not only the law but also for sen-sitising the Police when dealing with minors.

The workshop also saw inputs from Echo Institute Director Dr. Anthony Sebastian, Dr. R. Naga-raju, President, District Child Welfare Committee and P.P. Baburaj, Secretary, People's Legal Forum.

Earlier, Rajendra Prasad referred to the inadequacy of budgetary allocations and called for the special cell under the Criminal Investigation Department to be further strengthened.

While the first session will be moderated by P.P. Babu Raj, the second session will be moderated by Biju Thomas of the People's Legal Forum and this session will focus on child offenders and the Juvenile Act.

He third session will deal with the need for a Special Police Cell for children and will be moderated by Devamma, Sub-Inspector, Women's Police Station.

Courtesy : Star Of Mysore