CHENNAI: Rescue efforts to save children who land in railway stations due to various reasons, including trafficking, have been seriously compromised as Childline helpdesks functioning in Central, Egmore, Villivakkam, and Tambaram railway stations in the Chennai railway division have been shut for the past two months.
The helpdesks were closed after the Union government issued a notification in August asking state and district administrations to take over the 24x7 Child Helpline 1098 service from NGOs. As per the Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) released by the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development, district child protection units (DCPUs) must run the helpdesks in coordination with railway and labour departments. But this could not be implemented as railway authorities have not allowed the staff appointed by the DCPUs to use the kiosks, sources said.
According to sources, around 100 children were rescued on an average per month at these four railway stations. “In Egmore railway station alone, there have been instances where we have rescued more than 50 children in one month,” an NGO said.
“We reunite runaway children in city limits with their families with the consent of CWC. Runaway children and trafficked and abandoned children from outside Chennai were produced before CWC. Though the helpdesk kiosks are intact, there is a huge delay in turning them operational. It pains us to imagine the plight of those helpless children who may have landed in these railway stations in the past two months,” said Virgil D’Sami, director of Arunodhaya, an NGO that was hitherto running the helpdesk at Egmore station.
As per the central SOP, railways have to provide 6x6 sq.ft space free of cost for setting up the child helpline desk/kiosk. An official in charge of DCPU said individual letters have been given to station officials and top state officials have also written to the railways seeking permission to use the kiosks. The Ministry of Railways and the Ministry of Women and Child Development signed an agreement in 2015 for the smooth operation of Childline helpdesks to ensure the care and protection, security, and well-being of run-away, unaccompanied, and trafficked children in railway stations.
The Child Development Ministry had earmarked Rs 15,76,000 per year for each helpdesk in the SOP issued in March this year.
“There are several guidelines to handle children under the Juvenile Justice Act. Children are generally scared to talk to police officers though we have been trained in soft skills. When dedicated child rescue services staff are present, they ensure that the children are safe till they are reunited with parents or sent to homes,” said an RPF officer. Another officer said the number of children being rescued has reduced as the railway police are unable to proactively look for children in need of protection.
“We are appalled that permission for running the helpdesks has not been given to the state. It shows that the protection of children is not a priority for the railways. The Southern Railway should take action against those who are delaying the permission. Railways should ensure that the help desks are functioning in as many railway stations as possible,” said A Devaneyan, a child rights activist. State Social Defence Department officials were not available for comment.