12,000 rag-picker kids in Varanasi

THERE ARE around 12,000 rag-pickers, including around 7,000 girl rag-pickers between the age group of 4 to 14 years in Varanasi alone. This was observed in a national convention of rag-picker kids at Shashtri Park in Sigra area here on Thursday. An NGO, Vishal Bharat Sansthan had organised the convention.

THERE ARE around 12,000 rag-pickers, including around 7,000 girl rag-pickers between the age group of 4 to 14 years in Varanasi alone.

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This was observed in a national convention of rag-picker kids at Shashtri Park in Sigra area here on Thursday. An NGO, Vishal Bharat Sansthan had organised the convention.

Addressing the gathering, National Director of SOS Bharatiya Bal Gram (New Delhi), Pradeep Singh expressed concern over the poor state of rag-picker kids in the society. He said these kids were treated as untouchables. He said SOS, in collaboration with Vishal Bharat Sansthan, would chalk out a work plan for these kids.

Presiding over the function, national president of Acharyakul, Sharad Kumar Sadhak said there was an urgent need to bring these rag-pickers into the mainstream of the society.

President of Vishal Bharat Sansthan, Dr Rajiv Srivastava said around 12,000 kids were involved in rag-picking in Varanasi alone.

He said people’s participation was a must to ensure social security for this lot of poor kids.

Faculty member at History Department in Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth Dr Rajiv Dwivedi said education was required to change the fate of these kids.

Administrative officer of Vishal Bharat Sansthan Puja Singh conducted the programme whereas Archana Singh, Nazma Parveen, Nazneen Ansari, Reshmina Ansari coordinated the programme. Kids of Yuva Gramya Vikas Samiti staged a play ‘Bahu Ki Vida’ on the occasion.