Graveyard is Home for forty Yrs for 300 Families

Nalgonda dist admnistration is unable to act due to political pressure, Says Addtl DC
Graveyard is Home for forty Yrs for 300 Families

Express News Service

Hyderabad: In a discovery that can only be described as shocking, the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR) has found out that in Nalgonda, close to 300 families which had migrated from Tamil Nadu 40 years ago have made a graveyard their home.

The commission has brought the issue to  additional district Collector Raj Kumar. “He (Raj Kumar) said there is political pressure due to which he is unable to take any action. Politicians are afraid of losing the vote bank of these families if they are evacuated to a better place which is why they just have a voter’s ID and nothing else,” alleged Md Raheemuddin, advocate and member of SCPCR.

The commission, at a press conference held at its office at Ameerpet here on Thursday,  showed some horrific visuals of children of the area playing with ashes, skulls and bones. The only source of income to the families is rag-picking. While young boys  get addicted to drugs, girls are forced into prostitution. Nobody wants to hire them as they live in a graveyard. They do not have livelihood and are victims of social boycott.

“Though it has been 40 years, not much has been done to evacuate these families,” said Achyuta Rao, another member of SCPCR. One of the previous superintendents of police, Raman Kumar, had started a hostel in collaboration with an NGO, Vasanthalakshmi,  in the police welfare building for about 100 children of these families. However, after his transfer, there has been pressure from the police department on the children to vacate the building. The children are malnourished and have skin diseases.

“We have asked the additional district collector to take necessary rehabilitation procedure immediately. We have asked them to provide necessary medical help,” Mamata Raghuveer said. The commission plans to visit some more villages, prepare a report and submit it to the High Court next month for rehabilitation procedure.

Factfile

■ SCPCR showed some horrific visuals of children of the area playing with ashes, skulls and bones

■ Collector to take up rehabilitation measures immediately

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