Child trafficking brewing inside Jalpaiguri's tea gardens

04 August, 2012

A joint study by Save the Children, UNICEF and University of Burdwan reveals vulnerability of children in sick and closed tea gardens of the district.

SAFETY AND well being of children is being threatened in sick and closed tea gardens of Jalpaiguri. Trapped in the vicious cycle of unemployment and poverty, desperate parents are constantly lured by trafficking agents who promise better jobs and life to their children.

In a joint study by Save the Children, UNICEF and University of Burdwan, a large number of respondents (73%) considered that trafficking is a major problem in the area. The study was conducted in 12 sick and closed tea gardens in May-July, 2011 and interviewed 874 people (including parents and children). The study was released by Save the Children's Programe Coordinator Biswarup Banerjee, State Representative of UNICEF Lori Calvo and Prof. Biswajit Ghosh here on Friday. Amal Roychowdhury , Labour Commissioner, Government of West Bengal was also presentThe respondents estimated that 3500 children migrated from these 12 tea gardens in 2010 alone.

Children of adivasi, poor and large families especially girls are prime targets. Many never return and nearly 8 to 10 children out of every 100 migrating every year go missing and the same number of children per tea garden is being trafficked every year. Delhi remains the most preferred destination followed by Kerala, Sikkim, Punjab, Bangalore and Bhutan.Poverty was ranked as the number one contributing factor, as labourers are left to fend for themselves by tea garden owners who abandon their estates without paying salary/wages, provident fund and gratuity to them. It was followed by unemployment, poor wages, large family, illiteracy and promise of a better life.

The importance attributed to the factors in trafficking is corroborated by similar emphasis given to creation of employment (77.78%), spreading awareness (67.22%), increased wages (63.89%), stopping drop out (56.11%, ) and poverty removal (50%) as steps to prevent trafficking.

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COMMENTS (3)

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Tripti Bannerjee

Most children kidnapped and sold will be female. They are either inducted in the flesh trade or bought by rich farmers in Haryana, Punjab who keep them as their 3rd or 4th wife hoping to get a son from their womb. Sadly these are the very person who gets involved in female foeticide. In one hand they kill a girl child on other hand they spend money to buy another.

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Shyamal

Tea Gardens are notorious places. What happens within the boundaries is of little knowledge to anybody. Rape, Murder are not very uncommon. Hence I am not surprised by the news. Sadly, tea gardens are own by people who are well connected and rich. They are involved in the crimes too. Thus nobody will take any action. At least thanks to the Mr. Bohra for picking up the topic for highlighting it on this platform. As for media like Times of India, hope this news to be in 7th or 8th page hidden between all other news while Katrina Kaif will hog the limelight

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Pulkit Khurana

A recent episode of Crime Patrol focused on a child trafficking case that was actively solved by the Delhi police. But the story also showed that the clue to the solution was given by a 'khabri' who was aware of all trafficking rackets in the area. Question arises - Why cant police and administration solve the exact solution by killing down the rackets? Why do we have to solve it case by case? This shows that we are not serious when it comes to dealing with such a heinous crime.

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