PANJIM: The basic human right of safe water, good health and
sanitation is denied to the children of Sonshi village which is adversely
affected due to rampant ore transportation, the State Commission for Protection
of Child Rights have said, after a visit by two member panel to the village in
Sattari.
State Commission has also requested the government
authorities to look into the matter and stated that the basic child rights are
violated.
The Commission for Protection of Child Rights took
suo-moto action of the news article in the press about the plight of children
and villagers in Sonshi village in Sattari Valpoi and two Members panel
comprise of Mrs Sujata Bhatkar and Mrs Carmelina Franco visited the site.
Dr Sushma Kirtani, Chairperson of Commission said that
the panel interacted with fifteen children and asked their demands.
“The children were worried about dust pollution and
contaminated drinking water. Health issues like eye problems and asthma due to
dust posing a risk to their health”, she said.
The commission has also found that the local school
had only four children and they were covered with dust, looking pale and sick.
The noise of excavation was deafening and was a big distraction to school
children.
“The only well in the village is also polluted and so
drinking water is supplied by tankers which are filled in the barrels which are
again coated with dust. Thus the children are not getting safe drinking water
which is their basic human right”, Dr Kirtani said.
Many children study in nearby schools in Sankhalim and
Navelim, commission has said and recommended that the area is which is dusty
and the roads needs to be sprayed with water from time to time to keep area
free of dust.
“The basic human right of safe water, good health,
sanitation is denied to these children. State Commission requests the government
authorities to look into the matter as the basic child rights are violated”,
Commission has stated.
