Activists demand governments to check girl trafficking

Musheerabad: Right to Education Forum convener Murali Manohar on Friday demanded steps by the governments to check trafficking of girls across the country. Addressing a round table conference at Sundarayya Vignana Kendram on ‘Implementation of Right to Education Act and Illegal Human Trafficking’, he pointed out that about 50,000 girls were disappearing across the country every year. Reports indicated that during the last six years six lakh girls remained untraced.

While advising NGOs involved in child adoption to compulsorily obtain government permission, Manohar demanded strong action by governments against unauthorised organisations. He expressed anguish over some NGOs sexually abusing girls and turning children into beggars, citing the recent episode in Yadagirigutta. Manohar wanted the TRS government to strictly implement the Right to Education Act, while wondering why it was not when other States were doing so. This was painful.

Venkat Reddy, convener, MV Foundation, expressed dismay that not even six per cent schools were enforcing the act. He pointed out that only eight per cent of the budget was being spent while implementing it. This should be increased to 25 per cent. Reddy wanted social audit from the gram panchayat level to check trafficking of girls and strict enforcement of the laws.

Among those present were Mamata Raghuveer, director of Taruni, Sudarshan, State coordinator, Mahitha Foundation, Pratap Jara, State secretary, Balala Hakkula Praja Dwani, Roja, representative of Sankalp, the organiser of the conference, Ganesh Naik, president, Girijan Students’ Association.