Ambika Pandit, TNN | Feb 25, 2012, 12.58AM IST

NEW DELHI: The Delhi government has set up an independent committee to inquire into cases of all alleged sexual abuse in Arya Anathalaya in Daryaganj. The committee, constituted under the Commission of Inquiry Act 1952, comprises two retired IAS officers, who will look into the functioning of the orphanage. It will suggest a roadmap to revamp the place and institute a mechanism to prevent any such case in future. 

Geeta Sagar, who is also former education secretary in Delhi government, and Janak Juneja will be on the committee. The committee will get a month to prepare a comprehensive report on the Arya orphanage and other institutions run by the same management. 

On February 19, chief minister Sheila Dikshit had held a review of the case and made it clear that it was a "very sensitive matter" and should not be "politicized by any lobby". She had directed women and child department on Sunday to delve deep into the matter as the future of more than 1,000 children was at stake. "Appointing an administrator was the first step and the fastest thing that the government could do last week. Now, we need to go deeper," Dikshit had said at a high-level meeting. 

On Monday, NGOs working on child rights in the city joined hands to fight abuse in homes and shelters. In a memorandum to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and chief minister Sheila Dikshit, the NGOs sought zero tolerance in cases of child abuse. 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Panel-to-probe-Arya-orphanage/articleshow/12025446.cms?referral=PM