Jun 24, 2011, 10.03pm IST
VARANASI: Though the anti-human trafficking cell (AHTC) of police has become operational recently in the district, it has to evolve a foolproof mechanism for preventing and combating human trafficking as Varanasi is believed to be a transit point for the same.
"No case of human trafficking has been registered so far, though we have rescued 15 children below 14 years of age from many 'dhabas' and small hotels," said Pannalal Gupta, the in-charge of the cell that came into existence on June 16. The cell has been established as per the directive of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.
The advisory on preventing and combating human trafficking clearly mentions that the Trafficking in Human Beings (THB) is a crime committed in order to target, lead or drive a human being into an exploitative situation with the aim to make profits. Such exploitation may take many forms like commercial sexual exploitation, child labour, forced labour or bonded labour. The country is witnessing cross-border as well as internal (intra-country) trafficking.
In its initial exercise the cell rescued child labourers only. "We have contacted the guardians of the rescued children and sent them back," Gupta told TOI on Friday. According to him, it could not be established that the children were trafficked. However, one of the main objectives of the cell is to put an effective check on trafficking of children and women, who can be exploited as labourers and commercial sex workers. He admitted that it would take some time for the proper running of the cell. The cell has a team of six personnel, including two sub-inspector, two head constables and two constables. "We also need public support and co-operation for effective action against those involved in trafficking," he said.
On the other hand, social activists working in this field feel that it needs proper co-ordination to address the deep-rooted problem. "It is a fact that girls are trafficked from Nepal, Bangladesh and Indian states like West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and east UP itself. This trafficking either culminates and gets accommodated in the brothels of Varanasi, Mau, Azamgarh, Ballia or gets routed (transit point) to Bombay, Delhi, Dubai and other places from Varanasi by virtue of having air, road, rail links," said Ajeet Singh of Guria, an organisation working for women and child rights. "A broader linkage needs to be built between source, transit and destination areas to trace, rescue and rehabilitate trafficked victims of commercial sexual exploitation," he said. According to him, nearly 5% of women and girls engaged in prostitution are from Nepal and Bangladesh and about 5,000-7,000 Nepali girls are trafficked to India every year mainly via UP and Bihar.
So far the organisation has rescued around 50 minor girls from the brothels in the red light area of Varanasi with the help of the civil society. Presently Guria is fighting over 100 cases against more than 400 traffickers and brothel keepers. Singh has also been included in the team constituted by the National Commission for Women (NCW) to investigate trafficking channels from Azamgarh to the Middle East. According to him, the problem exists because laws like Immoral Trafficking Prevention Act (ITPA) and Bonded Labour Abolition Act are not enforced properly. A report of the National Human Rights Commission also suggests that laws do not adequately target traffickers, pimps, and brothel keepers. He said around 14,000 persons are arrested every year under ITPA, out of whom about 90% are women, despite the fact that a majority of the exploiters and traffickers are men.
Poverty is believed to be the root cause of trafficking of children for various purposes. Singh said about 44% of the women in prostitution fall prey to traffickers because of poverty. The report of the Ministry of Women and Child Development on Child Protection in the Eleventh Five Year Plan (2007-2012) also admits it. It is estimated that 90% of trafficking for sexual exploitation is within the country. Many of those trafficked are children, sometimes as young as eight years old, or even younger. According the report, trafficking for labour is the most under reported crime.
"There is no appropriate law to put a check, particularly on child trafficking effectively," said another social activist Rajni Kant, director of Human Welfare Association ( HWA). According to him, Varanasi has sensitive pockets that are ideally located for child trafficking through rail road links. "It is fine to create an exclusive cell to tackle this problem, but all police station should also have dedicated teams for this purpose," he said.
VARANASI: Though the anti-human trafficking cell (AHTC) of police has become operational recently in the district, it has to evolve a foolproof mechanism for preventing and combating human trafficking as Varanasi is believed to be a transit point for the same.
"No case of human trafficking has been registered so far, though we have rescued 15 children below 14 years of age from many 'dhabas' and small hotels," said Pannalal Gupta, the in-charge of the cell that came into existence on June 16. The cell has been established as per the directive of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.
The advisory on preventing and combating human trafficking clearly mentions that the Trafficking in Human Beings (THB) is a crime committed in order to target, lead or drive a human being into an exploitative situation with the aim to make profits. Such exploitation may take many forms like commercial sexual exploitation, child labour, forced labour or bonded labour. The country is witnessing cross-border as well as internal (intra-country) trafficking.
In its initial exercise the cell rescued child labourers only. "We have contacted the guardians of the rescued children and sent them back," Gupta told TOI on Friday. According to him, it could not be established that the children were trafficked. However, one of the main objectives of the cell is to put an effective check on trafficking of children and women, who can be exploited as labourers and commercial sex workers. He admitted that it would take some time for the proper running of the cell. The cell has a team of six personnel, including two sub-inspector, two head constables and two constables. "We also need public support and co-operation for effective action against those involved in trafficking," he said.
On the other hand, social activists working in this field feel that it needs proper co-ordination to address the deep-rooted problem. "It is a fact that girls are trafficked from Nepal, Bangladesh and Indian states like West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and east UP itself. This trafficking either culminates and gets accommodated in the brothels of Varanasi, Mau, Azamgarh, Ballia or gets routed (transit point) to Bombay, Delhi, Dubai and other places from Varanasi by virtue of having air, road, rail links," said Ajeet Singh of Guria, an organisation working for women and child rights. "A broader linkage needs to be built between source, transit and destination areas to trace, rescue and rehabilitate trafficked victims of commercial sexual exploitation," he said. According to him, nearly 5% of women and girls engaged in prostitution are from Nepal and Bangladesh and about 5,000-7,000 Nepali girls are trafficked to India every year mainly via UP and Bihar.
So far the organisation has rescued around 50 minor girls from the brothels in the red light area of Varanasi with the help of the civil society. Presently Guria is fighting over 100 cases against more than 400 traffickers and brothel keepers. Singh has also been included in the team constituted by the National Commission for Women (NCW) to investigate trafficking channels from Azamgarh to the Middle East. According to him, the problem exists because laws like Immoral Trafficking Prevention Act (ITPA) and Bonded Labour Abolition Act are not enforced properly. A report of the National Human Rights Commission also suggests that laws do not adequately target traffickers, pimps, and brothel keepers. He said around 14,000 persons are arrested every year under ITPA, out of whom about 90% are women, despite the fact that a majority of the exploiters and traffickers are men.
Poverty is believed to be the root cause of trafficking of children for various purposes. Singh said about 44% of the women in prostitution fall prey to traffickers because of poverty. The report of the Ministry of Women and Child Development on Child Protection in the Eleventh Five Year Plan (2007-2012) also admits it. It is estimated that 90% of trafficking for sexual exploitation is within the country. Many of those trafficked are children, sometimes as young as eight years old, or even younger. According the report, trafficking for labour is the most under reported crime.
"There is no appropriate law to put a check, particularly on child trafficking effectively," said another social activist Rajni Kant, director of Human Welfare Association ( HWA). According to him, Varanasi has sensitive pockets that are ideally located for child trafficking through rail road links. "It is fine to create an exclusive cell to tackle this problem, but all police station should also have dedicated teams for this purpose," he said.
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