Assam to introduce law to check human trafficking

According to the National Crime Records Bureau data for 2021, Assam reported 203 cases of human trafficking last year, the third highest in the country after Telangana (347) and Maharashtra (320)

Published on: Sep 13, 2022, 08:51:29 IST

By Utpal Parashar

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

The Assam government is planning to introduce a law to check human trafficking, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told the state assembly on Monday.

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. (Hindustan Times)

“It is thought that when a child is taken outside the state for employment, only then it amounts to human trafficking. But I feel when children under 14 are separated from their parents to work as domestic help in other districts or towns of the state, it is also a form of human trafficking,” Sarma said.

He added the proposed law will regulate the employment of domestic help and those who employ them to check human trafficking. “...employers will have to register details of their domestic helps with the nearest police station and also be responsible to provide education and health facilities to them,” Sarma said.

He added the government will frame a policy for proper rehabilitation of trafficked children and take stern measures to check incidents of human trafficking

According to the National Crime Records Bureau data for 2021, Assam reported 203 cases of human trafficking last year, the third highest in the country after Telangana (347) and Maharashtra (320). A total of 460 persons were trafficked outside the state last year.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More