Imphal, February 20, 2010: Of the 55 kids rescued from two unlicensed homes in Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu and brought to Imphal yesterday, 52 have been handed over to Chairperson of Tamenglong Child Welfare Committee Kinderson Panmei today.

The rescued kids were handed over to CWC Tamenglong in the presence of MLA Khangthuanang Panmei, MLA Awangbow Newmai, Social Welfare Commissioner Letkhogin Haokip, Social Director S Saratchandra and other officials of the department.

The 52 kids were rescued by volunteers of Tamil Nadu Child Welfare Committee from an unlicensed home run by one Pastor Kshaji.

The handing over function was attended by mother of a 15 year old rescued boy.

The mother belonging to Tousem sub-division of Tamenglong district said that her son was taken away together with Rs 7500 promising that he would be given proper education.

"We thought our son would be studying.

We never though our tender child would be subjected to forced labour without allowing them to attend school", the mother lamented.

She said that she sent her son away hoping that he would receive better education outside the State.

The children belonging to Tousem sub-division were taken away by one N Paul and some other Pastors after collecting Rs 5000 each from their parents in May 2006. During this time, the children were aged between 3-10 years.

Even as media persons were not allowed to interact with the rescued children, CWC Tamenglong Chairperson Kinderson Panmei was allowed to talk to the children.

Kinderson said the children were never sent to school.

They were forced to work as labourers in building construction, in quarrying, cooking and many other odd jobs.

But they were never given adequate food.

They were even forced to stale food and sleep on the floor without any cloth.

Some of the children were suffering from skin diseases, Kinderson said.

Kinderson said that Tousem needs a modern high school as well as implementation of child welfare programmes, installation of sports infrastructure, improvement of transport infrastructure and re-integration of the rescued kids.

Social Welfare Director S Saratkumar said that different policies including an anti-trafficking cell would be taken up to check child trafficking in the State.

He went on to say that necessary measures would be initiated to constitute a anti-trafficking committee under the aegis of Social Welfare Dept together with Home Dept, Education Dept, Labour Dept, Rural Dept etc.

Meanwhile, in another stunning revelation of child trafficking, another 73 State children are said to have been still languishing in two separate homes in Tamil Nadu, while whereabouts of 18 other kids are not known.

Revealing this to The Sangai Express, Bishnupur district Child Welfare Committee (CWC) member K Maharabi, who arrived yesterday from Tamil Nadu with 55 rescued children said, "Today I have informed the pitiable conditions of 73 State kids living in two separate homes in Tamil Nadu to the State Government to ensure their rescue by the Government agencies".

Out of these 73 children, 24 including four girls are staying at an unlicensed home, while the remaining 49 including six girls are living in a licensed home in Trina valley in Tamil Nadu.

Maharabi said, "We have broadly examined these kids.

They live in a very pitiable manner as they are deprived of all basic requirements of living and good education.

They cannot compete with other school students".

"There is no good point for them to stay and study there.

They have no bright future at all.

We feel so bad to see them living in such a pathetic condition", he added.

An official of Social Welfare Department said that the department would intimate the officials of Tamil Nadu to rescue the 74 children.

"Since we have unofficially learnt that the missing 18 girls are putting up at a home in Bangalore, we will also request the Karnataka Government to help in tracing and rescue them", the official added.

A team of CWC members led by Bishnupur CWC member Maharabi brought back 55 rescued State children from Tamil Nadu yesterday.

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