NCPCR directs states to assist kin in finding trafficked children

NEW DELHI: In a move aimed at providing assistance to aggrieved parents, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has decided to fix the responsibility of states to provide all needed support to relatives of the trafficked children through state liaison centre and bhawans situated in the national capital.

According to senior officials, the NCPCR would soon make it must for all bhawans of Union Territories and states situated in Delhi to help state police and parents in finding out their trafficked children. The detailed guidelines in this regard would be launched on December 13.

The NCPCR would regularly monitor the response of states soon after issuance of the detailed guidelines, the official said, adding that the child rights panel would initiate strict action against states for violating the NCPCR norms.

“The child trafficking is not an issue restricted to one or two states; rather it has become an issue of national importance and the national capital has become the nucleus of the racket. Reports have stated that most of the trafficked girl children are brought in Delhi and sold to gangs involved in flesh trade,” the official said.

“It's been also found that when the state team and aggrieved parents come to Delhi, they don't get any support from their state representatives. The guidelines have been prepared to provide all available assistance to relatives through bhawans, which is looked after by Resident Commissioner,” the official said, adding that it would fix state government's responsibility to provide accommodation to aggrieved family members and members of state police team.

Some of the states like Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Assam have already started providing assistance to family members from July onwards.