Special cell to deal with inter-state trafficking cases

A year after the death of the two-year-old battered baby at AIIMS last year, the Delhi government has constituted a centralised cell to deal inter-state cases of trafficking.

A year after the death of the two-year-old battered baby at AIIMS last year, the Delhi government has constituted a centralised cell to deal inter-state cases of trafficking.

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The government is making efforts to chart out steps needed to deal with trafficking, especially of girls who are later exploited sexually.

The state women and child department has appointed a consultant to come up with a list of initiatives and steps required to keep a check on trafficking. The consultant stressed the need to provide intensive counseling to rescued children so that they can lead a normal life.

“There is a lack of coordination between states on the trafficking front. A number of children are trafficked to Delhi and repatriating them is our biggest concern. We needed a systematic approach to deal with the situation and so decided to form a centralised cell. It will coordinate with states such as West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand and other states from where children are mostly brought to Delhi,” said Kiran Walia, women and child development minister.

In the past few months, child welfare committees have rescued 197 children and repatriated them with the help of Delhi Police. The government now plans to tie up with various NGOs such as Shakti Vahini, who work for such children, to carry out rescue operations on a larger scale.

The issue of trafficking has been taken up with other states from where a majority of the children are trafficked to Delhi. These states have been asked to share details on a regular basis of children who go missing.