CHANDIGARH: Lakshmi  Kanta Chawla, Health and Family Welfare Minister Punjab has expressed her displeasure over the unhygienic and filthy conditions of all the three juvenile justice homes in the state.

In a statement issued here Tuesday, the minister said that a health survey would be conducted in all the three juvenile homes and the women jail by the health department. Expressing concern over the deteriorating mental and physical health of the children in the juvenile homes, she said that Poor, unfortunate children required a lot of attention of the authorities to improve their pathetic conditions. She said that to rehabilitate and reestablish young children confined to jails would be among the top priorities of the state government.

She also said that she would be herself visiting and monitoring the juvenile homes. To make inmates morally, spiritually healthy and strong, the health department would organize yoga classes and spiritual discourses for them. Besides this, regular visits by a doctor, psychiatrist and a psychologist would be ensured so that a large number of their problems could be solved.

Adding further she said the Punjab Government would also provide  free legal assistance to those young prisoners who were non Punjabis, confined to juvenile homes   under various sections of the IPC so that they do not suffer more for want of adequate legal help.  Necessary steps were being taken for the successful implementation and execution of various plans encouraging the inmates to join the mainstream, said Ms. Chawla.