Over 46,000 street children to get education
New Delhi: A recent study done by the child rights body revealed that there are 46,848 children in the age group of 6 to 14 years living on the streets of Delhi. To give these kids an identity, the meeting between stakeholders including police held on Tuesday.
The data of the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) accessed by Millennium Post revealed that in South Delhi, as many as 8,721 children and in the East Delhi, 8,299 were found living in a street situation.
"Around 6,186 children found living in North Delhi and South East had 6,050 kids. While in Central district, 4,034 minors living on the streets," the data claimed.
The data further stated that in other six districts, 13,558 children have been staying on the road.
"It took two months to study 11 districts in the city. Nearly 71,000 children found in the age group of 0 to 18 years," said Rita Singh from DCPCR.
She further told that in South Delhi, there are possibilities that the children living in street situation are being used as child labour.
To ensure a better future for these children, a meeting was held between the stakeholders including government officials and police, where district magistrate Tanvi Garg, members from CWC, DCPU, police, SDMO were present.
DCPCR chairperson Ramesh Negi discussed with the other officials on the topic to provide better future to all the kids."
"For the kids under the age group of 6-14 years, we are planning to enrol them in schools which will give an identity to children," said Singh.
She further added that for the children of age 0-6 years will be enrolled in Aaganwadi and creches so that they remain healthy.
"We will try to give vocational training to the children aged 15-18 years. We got help from NGO named Save the Children in the study," added Singh.
For homeless people, the winter has been the battle for survival on the streets of Delhi. According to kids, they burnt their clothes or inhale fluids to keep themselves warm in this freezing winter.
With no roof on their heads, children have to survive the bone-chilling cold.
The standard operating procedure of National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) in association with a Delhi-based NGO on care and protection of children in street situations states that most street children work five-eight hours on an average each day. Long working hours, drudgery and exhaustion are some of the reasons that get children attracted to
drugs.
DCPCR will identify the places where the population of street kids are more and then they will write to Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) to provide shelter for them.
