Amritsar, May 8

The district level child safety helpline No. 1098 will be working 24X7 for children during curfew, lockdown hours as well. Pawandeep Kaur, District Child Protection Officer, Amritsar, and Paramjit Kumar Sharma, Chairperson, Child Welfare Committee, Amritsar, on Saturday addressed the issue of child safety during curfew and lockdown restrictions as they shared that the helpline will offer counselling as well as other services for children experiencing mental health problems.

“Any case of child safety, care and domestic violence during the lockdown can be reported on the helpline. The following helplines will help with child counselling, accommodation and care for vulnerable children. If there is any information, complaint regarding child abuse, it should also be registered to ensure safety and wellbeing of kids during the pandemic. If a complainant reports 1098, his, her information will be kept confidential,” said Pawandeep Kaur.

She appealed that if any information is received about the children whose parents have died due to Covid or are undergoing treatment in hospitals, the following helpline numbers 1098, District Child Protection Unit— 0183-2573040 and the Chairperson Child Welfare Committee— 9464438515 can be contacted. “The child will be taken to a government recognised child welfare institution . For problems pertaining to legal counselling and education of children, the numbers of legal officer— 9876357202, Child Protection Officer— 8360869891 and PO— 9876424088 can be contacted. — TNS