Thursday, Jun 30, 2005
Thursday, Jun 30, 2005 |
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Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary | Andhra Pradesh
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Vijayawada
K.N. Murali Sankar
VIJAYAWADA: For the first time in the State, the entire Krishna district will be covered under the services of "Childline" with the opening of four control rooms at Machilipatnam, Nuzvid, Nandigama and Gudivada. People in the district can contact the nearest control room by dialling the toll-free telephone number, 1098, and pass on information about uncared-for children, be it orphans, street children or child labourers. Volunteers from Childline, a non-government organisation (NGO), will take up the responsibility of providing shelter to the children.
Daily visits
The volunteers are visiting the railway station and the bus station in the city every day. They are sending children found by them to homes run by several NGOs. Children will be counselled there. If a child is willing to return to his or her home, the volunteers will send him back with the help of the police. Those who are reluctant to go back will be enrolled in schools. "Domestic problems, fear of failing in examinations and poverty are the main reasons for children leaving their homes. Curiosity to visit a new place is also making some children to come alone to the city," observes A. Ramesh, coordinator of the Childline. The service was launched in the city in November, 2000, and its volunteers have rescued as many as 7,607 children so far.
Additional centres
After monitoring the response, the district administration has decided to expand the facility to the entire district and the Collector, Naveen Mittal, formally announced the inauguration of the four additional centres in the first week of this month. The centres, however, are yet to be equipped with telephone facility. "We have given training to the centre coordinators on how to answer telephone calls, maintain records and counsel the children. The Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has allotted the toll-free phone number to all the four centres. They will be activated in a week's time," Mr. Ramesh says.
Good network
Besides extending the Childline facility to the entire district, the administration has also linked it with the National Child Labour Project (NCLP). The project is working for the cause of eradicating child labour and running 70 special schools in the district. "We have a good network in the district and the Childline, too, has its own network. Coordination between the NCLP and the Childline will be helpful to provide assistance to all children in need," says K. Sivasankara Rao, project director of the NCLP.
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