Churachandpur: In a startling revelation that evokes the immediate attention of concerned parents, there has been substance abuse of school going kids as young as those in Class III.
This was stated by Addl. SP(IUCAW), Churachandpur, Hasby Haokip, while speaking as the resource person of a seminar on ‘Combating Child Trafficking’ held Thursday at the Conference Hall of DC’s Office, Mini-secretariat, Churachandpur in commemoration of World Day Against Human Trafficking observed on July 30, 2022 under Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (AKAM).
The event was organized by National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) with SCPCR and District Administration of Churachandpur.
Haokip stated that the number of victims of trafficking is much higher in reality considering actual reported and unreported cases from every nook and corner of Churachandpur. “As far as possible, we prevented people from being trafficked, but there are instances where we have to rescue trafficked persons,” she said. Children who were recruited as a child soldier and/or being kept in different orphanage homes for education purpose is not seen as ‘child trafficking by the parents,” she added.
Apart from child trafficking, substance abuse and drug addiction is a major problem in Churachandpur, she said while seeking the cooperation of all for a collective fight against the menace of drug abuse as drugs have penetrated even class 3 students.
Speaking on the occasion, ADC Khaikhopau Ngaihte, stated that traffickers prey on unguarded families by making false promises of jobs, augmented income, better living conditions and financial support. Given the complex nature of the problem, there seems to be no simple solution because many of the cases are not even reported to the concerned authority, he added. He also encouraged the locals to come out and report such cases. He said that informers’ identities will not be revealed if they preferred so.
AC to DC, Zousanglur Joute, Special Juvenile Police Units, Child Welfare Police Officers, Child Welfare Committee (CWCs) Juvenile Justice Board members and District Child Protection Units (DCPUs) attended the event amongst others.
