COIMBATORE: Social activists in Coimbatore district are demanding improved transport and manpower arrangements for Childline staff to effectively address issues concerning children. This demand has gained urgency following a recent incident on Friday, where there was a delay in responding to a call involving a minor girl studying at a government school in Sulur.
The incident involved a Class VIII female student at a government school in the Sulur block, who had been living with her mother and stepfather. Due to family issues, her mother returned to her native village near Madurai, leaving the girl at school. When her mother did not arrive to pick her up in the evening, the girl refused to go with her stepfather, prompting a teacher to offer support.
The teacher attempted to contact the police control room (100) and Childline (1098). However, there was no response from the police, and Childline staff instructed the teacher to bring the student to their home in Ukkadam. Sources said that after social activists escalated the issue to higher officials, the Sulur police provided shelter for the girl, who was later reunited with her mother when she returned to Coimbatore at midnight.
Social activists further said that if the teacher had not intervened, the girl’s situation could have worsened. They also highlighted this as the second incident where Childline failed to respond effectively, citing a lack of vehicle facilities to reach the location.
“In both cases, Childline staff advised those who lodged the complaint to bring the children to their shelter instead of responding to the complaints in person. While occasional difficulties in reaching the police control room may occur, the inability to get emergency help from Childline remains a major concern, particularly in rural areas where the need for Childline support is high,” said M Ravikumar, a social activist from Mettupalayam. He asserted that Childline units must be provided with proper vehicle support, and both Childline and police services need to ensure their helplines are accessible to school students.
Staff attached to Childline expressed concerns about working with inadequate manpower and vehicle support. The Childline unit in Coimbatore currently has only eight staff members responsible for monitoring the entire district. They work on a consolidated pay (temporary honorarium). Although the unit is under the direct control of the central government, it has not received sufficient manpower and vehicle support, sources confirmed.
There are 31 homes under the purview of the Coimbatore District Child Protection Unit where Childline can admit rescued children with recommendations from the Child Welfare Committee. The unit receives around 40 to 50 calls per day. Due to manpower and vehicle support issues, they cannot attend to all calls in person. Calls are prioritised based on urgency, and if immediate assistance is needed, they coordinate with local officials from relevant departments, especially the police, the sources added.
District Child Protection Officer M Hafsa said they have received approval to set up two more help desks at bus stands (Gandhipuram and Pollachi) with 12 staff members.
“We already have two units, including one at the railway station, and we will soon have two additional units. We have requested vehicle facilities for the units,” she added.