By: ML Verma
Solan: Bharatiya Adimjati Sevak Sangh today suspended hostel warden Pawan Goel, who was arrested for his alleged involvement in exploiting nine poor tribal girls of Adivasi Balika Chhatravas at Salon two days back.
A team of Bharatiya Adimjati Sevak Sangh members led by its general secretary Shyam Manhor visited the hostel and suspended the warden. The NGO also decided to close the hostel and girls belonging to Jharkhand would be shifted to a New Delhi hostel while 21 other tribal girls would be shifted in other hostel in the state. However, SP Solan Prem Thakur told HimVani that Adivasi Balika Chhatravas would not be allowed to close the hostel by the district administration until a free and fair enquiry is conducted. He said that after suspension of Pawan Goel, Rattan Chand Roza would take care of the hostel.
As it has been reported that Pawan Goel (48) was arrested on Tuesday evening for allegedly sexually exploiting nine inmates of Adivasi Balika Chhatravas at Salogra, run by a non-government organisation, Bharatiya Adimjati Sevak Sangh. Most of the victims hail from tribal districts in Himachal Pradesh and Jharkhand, who were studying in classes 7 to 10 in a high school run by the state government.
Police took action against the accused following complaint of a 13-year-old girl from Kinnaur. After registering the case, the accused was produced before the court and sent into five-day police remained till February 15, 2010.
Governor conducts surprise inspection
Himachal Pradesh Governor Urmila Singh on way to Kasauli today conducted a surprise inspection of Adivasi Balika Chhatravas at Salogra. She interacted with five tribal girls students in the hostel who belong to Jharkhand. Remaining girls student living in the hostel have gone to their homes due to winter vacations. The governor expressed her dissatisfaction over the facilities being provided in the hostel by the management.
She directed the district administration to undertake frequent checkings and inspections of such hostels in future to avoid any untoward incident. On seeing the hostel, the Governor expressed concern that living conditions in the hostel were not up to mark and the space available in the hostel was not sufficient for 31 girls living in it. She also directed the district administrations to send a detailed inquiry report regarding the functioning of the hostel by scrutinizing its records.
