Trafficked child still in Jharkhand as Social Welfare Dept turns blind eye
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, December 02 2015: Minors from Manipur are regularly trafficked outside the State on the promise of providing free education or jobs but most of the time they ended up as forced domestic helps or being ill treated.

Moreover, many of the children who had left Manipur failed to return home as the responsible authorities have also failed to act effectively on the cases.

A ten year old son of Ngullam Haokip of Chandel District is still stranded in the faraway State of Jharkhand as the Social Welfare Department has failed to take up proper action required for the child's journey home.

The child and the family hail from Phalbung village, around five km drive from Sita Lamkhai.

Sita Lamkhai is around 69 km from Imphal along National Highway-102 or Imphal-Moreh road.

While inquired about his minor son, Ngullam Haokip told Hueiyen Lanpao that due to poverty, he faced hardships to send his children to local schools.

Ngullam Haokip has four sons and three daughters.

Seasonal cultivation and making charcoal from woods are the only source of livelihood for the family.

It is said that a person who worked in the village Church suggested Ngullam Haokip to send his two children at Children Home, New Life Academy Kathikund, Temghar, Jharkhand.

Ngullam was also informed that his children will reside in the Children Home for free apart from not paying education fees.

Influenced by such information on the children home, Ngullam sent his two children to the Home in February 2009.His children were accompanied by another child from the same village.

Ngullam further disclosed that one Gopal, who is said to be the founder of the home, treated the children well when he was alive.

He even provided monthly expenses for the children.

However, Gopal passed away in December 2013 and since then the children in the home were not provided enough food and clothing.

Ngullam's another 16 year old son and another child from the village returned home in June last for holidays.

After hearing about the conditions of the children in the home, Ngullam wanted to bring back his younger son from the Home in Jharkhand.

Since he had no other option, Ngullam contacted one NGO in Chandel District.

The NGO advised Ngullam to contact the District Child Protection Officer, Child Welfare Committee under Social Welfare Department.

Ngullam met with the officials of the Child Welfare Committee in July last and he was assured all possible help.

In the next meeting, Ngullam was informed that Member Secretary, Child Welfare Committee, Chandel and District Child Officer, Chandel wrote to the Director of Social Welfare Department, Manipur on July 10 and September 22 respectively, requesting the department to rescue and bring back the child from the Jharkhand Home.

However, the department seems to have taken no action as the child is yet to reach home.

The child's mother Hutneichong told Hueiyen Lanpao that her two children were sent to the Home as they could not afford providing education to their children.

However, since the news of her child reached the village, she has been worried a lot.

Hutneichong appealed the authorities to help in bringing her son back.

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