District Collector K. Mohammed Y. Safirulla on Thursday said soaring financial and job opportunities in a developing city such as Kochi had led to increasing incidents of child exploitation.
Talking after inaugurating a child help desk at Ernakulam Junction (South) railway station here, Mr. Safirulla said Childline activities helped book those guilty of exploiting children who were unaware of their rights. Help desks are being set up at railway stations to rescue children found wandering alone in trains or at stations. It aims at eradicating the exploitation of children and giving them protection and legal assistance.
Help desks are being set up jointly by the district administration, Union Women and Child Welfare Department, Railways Ministry, and Sahrudaya Child Welfare Service. The District Collector will be its patron. Plans are afoot to set up a similar facility at Ernakulam Town railway station as well. Childline will extend protection and legal aid to children arriving by train as potential victims of child labour besides helping find missing children.
The Railway has allotted 360 sq.ft for setting up the facility. Twelve persons are being trained and will be deployed in three shifts to make available the service round-the-clock.