Chief Justice Jammu and Kashmir High Court, Justice Gita Mittal, today said that “we as a society have to ensure that no child grows up alone and have to work together to make it veracity.”She made these remarks during her visit to the SOS Children's Village at Gol Gujral and Home for Mentally Challenged Children at Channi Rama.Chief Justice distributed sweets, chocolates, balloons, footballs, badminton rackets, carom board, ludos among the children in presence of Justice (Retd) Hasnain Masoodi, State Mission Director ICPS GA Sofi and Director Bharat Bushan and other staff members of the SOS Village.Justice Mittal, who is also Chief Patron of Juvenile Justice Committee, reviewed the functioning of SOS Village and appreciated their efforts for activities and services rendered at SOS Village towards the welfare of Children.She also lauded the staff members of SOS Village for the kind of facilities being provided by them to the children.
She emphasized upon the need of building nurturing environments for children without parents so they can grow up in a stable and caring family in a supportive community and have a greater chance to realize their full potential to lead an independent life.Justice Mittal said that there are over 20 million abandoned and parentless children in India growing up all alone, without a home shelter, living each day without adequate food and under constant threat of abuse.She said that children who grow up alone without love and support of parents face a greater risk of discrimination, neglect and abuse.She asked for putting up a collective effort for the happiness, safety and wellbeing of children.